


Harry Potter and Death's Quest

by TaurusRidley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Iron Man (Movies), Kind of a Soulmate AU - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, I Don't Even Know, I Ship It, I couldn't find this anywhere so I wrote it., I couldn't help myself, I tried not to be anyway, It's my least fav thing to write about trust me, M/M, Master of Death Harry Potter, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexual Content, This sorta just hit me so I hit it back with more words, You're Welcome, but Harry does have a soulmate, but not graphic, not really - Freeform, some slightly explicit sex, soulmate au sorta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-03-17 00:41:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13647819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaurusRidley/pseuds/TaurusRidley
Summary: Harry Potter lived a relatively normal life post war. He became an Auror, stayed close with his friends and oh yeah, stopped aging? Ten years after defeating Tom Marvelo Riddle, Harry will have to complete one last quest to save not only the world, but now the universe. Not to mention that Death himself is blackmailing him into being a hero.Or, I couldn't find a story that was quite what I wanted with this type of crossover, so I wrote it. You are welcome.





	1. Greeting Death...Again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the harry potter and avengers fanfic i have always wanted to read. Enjoy. Disclaimer: I own nothing but plot!  
> Feel free to point out typos and comments and kudos are always appreciated,  
> With Love, TaurusRidley

Becoming the Master of Death was not Harry's plan; anyone including Hermione and Ron could see that when he threw away the most powerful wand in existance.

But the hallows would not leave him alone.

Every time he tried to dispose of them they would always reappear, arranged in a triangle almost mocking him as if to say _no, you are not allowed to forget your past._

He never did try to get rid of his fathers cloak, he couldn't part with the one thing that got him through his wild adolescence and even more than that, it was his last tie to his father. If Sirius were still around he would shake his head at the silly notion and chide Harry saying James and Lily would always be with Harry, and press a calloused hand to his heart as a solid reminder.

It took him quite a while to realize what was happening to him.

It had been a decade since he fought Tom Riddle and he had barely begun to age. He could easily pass for somewhere between eighteen and twenty five.

He was no longer with Ginny as she had been too much of painful reminder of the war and now that the war was over he could focus on being simply just _Harry_.

Of course fate would never give someone with the old Potter luck something so simple.

It happened one night he was hanging out with Ron and Hermione at his flat near the Ministry. They had just gotten off work as aurors and were enjoying a few bottles of firewhiskey. Hermione was speculating the cause of her friends' apparent youth while Ron listened on before noticing something on the fireplace. "Hey," he said uneasily.

"Was that there before?" Hermione and Harry looked up at where the redhead was pointing.

Atop the mantle sat the Deathly Hallows.

"Bloody hell," Harry cursed, standing up to glare at the items.

"Harry, they keep coming back don't they?" Hermione asked, realizing something.

"Unfortunatetly." Harry responded.

"Do you think Death is trying to tell you something? Maybe the reason you aren't really aging?"

"But death isn't a real person. Only in the stories..." Ron reasoned.

"The deathly hallows were just a story, but here they are." Harry replied, suddenly very uneasy.

Almost unbidden, he picked up the wand, pulled the cloak over his shoulders, and held the resurrection stone in his left hand.

As soon as he did, the lights flickered off in his flat as a sudden chilly breeze ripped through the house.

Hermione gasped, and Ron held his wife close, uneasy as well.

 _Finally_ , a disembodied voice spoke. _You have accepted your fate young Master. And you have greeted your loyal servant Death..._

Harry looked at his best mates, and by looks on their faces they heard the voice as well.

Harry spoke up. "I have accepted nothing. What do you want from me?"

Death chuckled. _I want nothing but to uphold the ancient order of things and keep the balance between the forces of dark and light. I ask you to uphold this for me because death is eternal and forsees all that will come to an end. Death even sees_ **your** _end, young master._

Harry let out an anxious breath. "So I'm _not_ going to live forever?"

Death let out another laugh. _No one, not even the Master of Death can live forever. I am simply keeping you at your strongest for the time being._

"Why?" Harry asked suspiciously.

_Because I have forseen that in the next decade of this century a new era of powerful humans will rise up and with this power comes great responsibility. You must teach them this, you will need to help these humans take down the powers that rise up to challenge them. You need to keep the balance and order._

Harry let out an incredulous laugh. "And you think i'm capable of managing a few powerful wizards?"

_These are no people of magic, Death answered. And you must do this for not only the greater good but for your lost loved ones._

"What do you mean?"

_Death controls were all souls go, and can prolong live indefinitely. You are experiencing this now; however if you do not do this, I will ensure that you will never see your loved ones again, not even with the Resurrection Stone._

"That's cruel!" Hermione broke in.

_Death is not always kind, witch, but always honest._

Hermione shivered at being directly spoken to by Death.

"I accept." Harry spoke suddenly.

He felt it was the right thing to do, if only to see his loved ones again, he explained later to his friends.

 _Good_ , Death responded. _The first one will have an aura of death and destruction around him. He can only be rid of it when he has faced death and destruction by his own hands, and only then will he learn to handle his power. He will face many trials and tribulations, and you must be the one to aid him though it. He will lead you to the rest._

Harry nodded grimly, accepting his new fate.


	2. Across the Pond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so errors should completely fixed in the last chapter. Here are some things to remember for this story:
> 
> 1.Harry was born in 1980, and the story ends in 1997 when he is seventeen. I set the story ten years later, so he is 27 as of right now and the year is 2007.
> 
> 2.Iron Man was supposedly set in 2010, so thats why it's the 'next decade of this century ' that these hero's start up, starting with, you guessed it, Tony Stark. For the sake of the story I am going to make him 37 for this year so that he is 50 in 2020 which is supposedly the year that Spiderman Homecoming is set in.
> 
> 3.Tom Holland is my spidey! And picture Harry without the glasses, I figure by this time he would have done something to deter all the fans from recognizing him which makes sense because they would expect someone older anyway, think more of how Daniel Radcliffe looked in his Vogue interview on youtube...mmmh.

Soon after Harry had accepted his fate from Death, the entity retreated, house lights flickering back on.

Hermione and Ron protested vehemently at his agreement to risk his life once more.

"Harry, you've been living a relatively normal life for the past decade. Are you sure you want to give it up for some last hurrah and be a hero?"

" 'Mione, I don't know if you have exactly noticed but when has my life ever been normal? It's the right thing to do and while I do want to live a normal life the only way I will be able to do that is knowing that I can grow old and die with the love of my life."

Ron and Hermione shared a look.

"What are you on about mate?" Ron eloquently asked.

Harry looked away, putting the Hallows back on the mantle. He fidgeted wih the old cloth of the cloak before turning back and speaking.

"Death showed me something before I made up my mind. A promise, if you will. Or a potential for happiness, or something."

"Harry, what did Death show you if you did as he asked?" Hermione asked curiously.

Harry took a deep breath. "He showed me that once I began this quest to help the powerful humans, I would eventually run into my soulmate along the way. And once I did I would begin aging normally, instead of very slowly like right now."

"Slowly?" Hermione asked confused. "I thought he had you frozen at seventeen."

"No, apparently that would go against Deaths eternal vows or something to keep me frozen. Like he said, prolong life indefinetely but not forever."

Hermione and Ron shared a look. "We're helping you." They said in unison.

Harry smiled. "Guys, I really wouldn't have it any other way, but Death made it clear this is my quest. I have to go this alone. Besides, you have Rose to think of."

The couple looked chagrined at forgetting about their daughter. After another bottle of shared firewhiskey and some more discussion, the couple made Harry promise to keep them updated on his mission.

"Do you even know where you are supposed to find this bloke with 'an aura of death and destruction'?" Ron asked later on.

Harry took a long swig of his whiskey before answering. "Yeah, New York I think. Death showed me the Statue of Liberty and told me that I would meet my soulmate across the ocean should I accept his quest. Guess they'll be American."

"When do you plan to go?" Hermione asked.

"Soon I hope. Though Death did say that this group would start appearing at the next decade of this century, which wouldn't be for another three years. But now is a good a time as any to get a head start."

                                                                                                             ************

"No, no no no no Potter, absolutely not! I am not losing my best auror to the Yanks!" Kingsley yelled at his senior auror.

"Shacklebolt," Harry started, trying to calm him down.

"We both know that a change of scenery may be...necessary."

Kingsley took a moment to consider. "Are you talking about that?" Kingsley spoke unconcerned about Harry's youthful state. "You could pass for 22 easily--25 if we're really pushing it."

"Maybe to someone who didn't know me then, but practically all of the other aurors I've known since my first year of Hogwarts." Harry reasoned not without an air of frustration.

"Oh bloody hell," Kingsley moaned, grabbing his wand so he could charm the tea kettle and cup arranged on his desk to serve him.

"You have a mind of your own Potter and I've never not once been able to sway you once you've made it up....Fine, I'll arrange for your transfer over to MACUSA. Merlin help us-- you know the only way I've been able to reign in the new recruits was threatening them with Harry Bloody Potter, the freaking legend rumored to be the Master of Death of all things--"

Harry froze at the implication, but Kingsley took no notice.

Taking a regretful sip of his chamomille tea, Kingsley continued on. "--But, I suppose the Yanks will have the pleasure of scaring the everliving shit out of the noobies and enjoy the look of confusion when all they see is, well..." He gestured to Harry's everything.

Harry frowned. "I'll have you know I can be formidable when I need to be."

"Oh yes I do know, Potter, but when you hear the name the Saviour you expect a seven foot god, not you, ya midget." Kingsley said gleefully. "What? I gotta make them jokes while I can, once I send in those request for transfer forms through this new bloody computer system it will be a matter of hours my friend before the Yanks are bending over backwards to accommodate to you."

Kingsley was right, the bastard. Not even a full day later he recieved letters, handwritten, from congressmen and women, and the president of MACUSA expressing their delight that he would be joining their team of aurors based in New York.

He enjoyed one last tearful dinner that weekend at the Weasley's where Molly threw up a bit fit over his sudden transfer and Arthur just congratulated him.

Ginny and George were there also to give him a kiss on the cheek and a hug respectively before he took a port key to New York.

It was 9pm in London, so he was a bit disconcerted when he arrived in New York an 4pm.

He landed in a designated port key zone on Ellis Island where he was greeted by a man who looked to be in his mid-forties. He had a sprinkling of salt and pepper hair and was impeccably dressed in a spacey gray suit that cut his broad shoulders and tapered waist well.

Harry was thoroughly intimidated and underdressed in his fathers tweed jacket(Sirius had left him a trunk of clothes that he had managed to aquire of his parents belongings, one of which was the aforementioned jacket) and charcoal gray trousers.

"Mr. Potter, it's a pleasure to meet you; Percival Graves." The man said the name with weight and Harry immediately understood why; This man was in direct relation to one of the Original Twelve, one of which was a distant relative of Harry Potter's own influential family genealogy.

"Pleasure," Harry said politely shaking his hand, watching as Graves gave him a cursory once over.

"Well there's no chance of squashing those rumors now," Graves commented. 

"I beg your pardon?," Harry asked, already having an inkling of where this was going.

"Wizards here are under the impression that you are the Master of Death; which is nothing more than a ridiculous legend that dark magic fanatics are fond of. Trust me, the Graves family has been dealing with these kind of strange ideas since the twenties; my great grandfather Percival Graves senior was captured by the Gellert Grindelwald."

"How did he escape?" Harry asked.

Graves smirked. "With the help of a fiery redhead and a niffler; but that's a story for another day."

"Agreed," Harry chuckled, already liking this Graves fellow.

"Come on, I'll show you to where your new home is," Graves said, offering his arm so that they could side along apparate to their next destination.

He ended up taking Harry to quite nice but not over the top apartment building that looked fairly medium in size. Harry was glad they adhered to his request for something relatively simple; he didn't need much.

Graves showed him how there was a keypad charmed to recognized his magic, so as to prevent any no-maj--muggle--from wandering in. After a brief tour, Graves left him in his new place to get settled, retiring to his own apartment which was a few floors up that on the outside would appear not to exist. 

Left alone, Harry tiredly unpacked from a satchel that Hermione had given him as a going away present, charmed to be as spacious as her own purse. Most of his items were shrunk for convenience, so it was a bit of a struggle to find his pajamas and toothbrush before he called it quits and just threw himself on the bed in his fully furnished room.

New York would prove to be an entirely new adventure...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help it alright I HAD to put in Percival and Newt will appear shortly. This was mainly a filler chapter, but plot will be coming up I promise. Also how do you guys like the whole soulmate tie in?


	3. And the plot begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so the way I rationalize the names of the characters from Fantastic beasts having being the same as the characters in this fic is that I picture the original characters all being friends and by extension their descendants who think it would be funny to name their kids the same names because they all resemble their ancestors. (But they are Newt and Percival....just not the exact same ones from the movies--but same animal loving newt and law abiding percival I promise)  
> Let’s do a quick time jump to the summer of 2008 for this chapter:

Outside the window, car horns blared and people called out in a hazy buzz of voices. It was a noise that Harry had become accustomed to in his short time in New York this last year. 

So far he hadn’t met anyone that fit the criteria of an ‘aura of death and destruction’ that wasn’t a wizard otherwise he would have immediately assumed Fontaine was the culprit, that crazy pyromaniac--too many times in his steady integration into the American team of aurors had Harry  _ almost  _ been set on fire.

Speaking of fire, this new group got along with him as well as a house on fire. They all reminded him of the old Order he had formed during his fifth year, the team was extremely loyal and respected him enough despite his youthful looks that he was able to gain almost the same level of loyalty that Graves wielded. His was a combination of a powerful name and years of experience as well as being known for his bravery in the line of action.

Now that he shook himself awake and finally used to the time difference, Harry set about getting ready for his day that was his new routine that had developed in this new environment. 

A cup of tea and some bacon later Harry was refreshed and ready for work at MACUSA. 

He greeted the front desk secretary Queenie who had a long family history of legilemons among their women and was one herself. To the shock of both of them, she couldn’t get an inkling of what Harry was thinking though…

“Morning Harry,” Queenie said that soft and sweet voice of hers.

Harry smiled; Queenie never called him Potter like the rest of them.

“Queenie,” Harry greeted setting a freshly baked niffler (no actual nifflers were harmed in the process) on a paper napkin on the desk in front of her.

“Oh, honey is that for me?” Queenie said hopefully. 

Harry grinned. “Got it fresh from Kowalski’s bakery; he sends his love.” He left Queenie at the front desk with a dreamy look in her eye, feeling immensely pleased with himself. It made him happy to see a pair so in love, if only a little jealous.

He hadn’t run into his soulmate yet and he knew he should be patient, Death  _ had _ said  _ eventually _ . 

But what Death hadn’t said was how he would know that he had met his soulmate...would there be some sign? Magical or otherwise? Would it be a feeling or would he simply just  _ know _ ? Harry knew Death was already playing him, so who’s to say he hasn’t already met his soulmate and he would never even know--unless he called upon Death again. 

But Harry wasn’t too eager to come face to non-existent face with the entity again. 

“ _ What _ ?! You can’t be serious...” Harry heard from the conference room where he was meeting with his team that day.

He walked in to see an exasperated Graves holding the new apple iphone that he had seen Steve Jobs unveil earlier this year.

“Weiss, calm down this is the best no-maj tech has to offer and it’s a lot faster than sending an owl--” Graves tried to console the man but he was cut off.

“ _ No-maj’s _ . They come up with some stuff I’ll give ‘em that, but why does that mean we gotta act like ‘em? We already have to enter through the NYPD headquarters just to get into MACUSA!”

“Weiss, like it or not they are a part of this world and like it or not we have to act like them not only for our protection but theirs as well. Should I remind you that our own President is a no-maj born?” That shut Weiss up. 

“What’s going on?” Harry asked, making his presence known.

Tina walked over to him handing him an iphone. “Wiess is throwing a hissy fit because the Director decided to make it mandatory for all aurors to carry one of these around,” She explained gesturing to the cell phone.

Harry eyed it. “These things look a bit... _ delicate,  _ don’t they?” 

Graves smiled, “Actually we have some Unspeakables who have been experimenting with this kind of technology to make it more magic-friendly. These are the prototypes.”

“And we’re the guinea pigs,” Harry finished.

“If you are all done behaving like children,” Graves said meaningfully, “Grab a phone and take a seat. We got a new case this morning. Level 7 priority.”

Almost immediately all of the aurors fell into line, grabbing a phone and then taking a seat around the table. Graves waved his hand and the projector started up and he nodded to Tina, who pulled her wand out to dim the lights.

“ _ Nox _ ,” she muttered, leaving only the picture on the projector screen the only thing lit up.

On the screen was a picture of a very pretty young witch who couldn’t have been more than 19 years old she was smiling in the picture, which must have been a school one since she was wearing the Ilvermorny logo and a scarf with a wampus embroidered on it.

“Cassandra Roche; a descendent of the Original Twelve, comes from old money and a pure bloodline.”

“What did she do now?” Tina asked somewhat amused, to Harry’s confusion. 

Graves seemed to be suppressing his own smirk, “Harry, coming from Britain, you probably pay no attention to our own family drama here. Cassandra Roche is American equivalent of a British witch from affluent means. Like say the Malfoys or the Blacks,” He explained.

“She’s been turning up a fuss since she graduated from Ilvermorny, claiming to want to get closer to the no-majs but in reality she’s been threatening the Statute of Secrecy more times than we’d like. She has good intentions, trust me I know the girl’s family, but she has no sense of responsibility or self preservation for that matter.”

“I’m sure the Obliviators here have had quite the time with her haven’t they?” Harry commented.

“You have no idea. And while it’s been all fun and games for a while now, this time is crossing a line,” Graves replied, his tone changing back to all business. 

Everyone leaned forward in anticipation. 

He pulled his wand out to tap the projector screen and the next image came up. It was an email between Cassandra and someone else.

“We have a group of Unspeakables who specialize in the integration of no-maj tech and magic and they have become especially skilled at what the no-maj’s refer to as ‘hacking’.”

“Sounds gross,” Fontaine commented, screwing up his nose in disgust.

“NOT like that, you idiot,” Graves snapped, already so done with the pyromaniac wizard. His destroyed reports could attest to that. He sighed, pulling himself together.

“They specialize in breaking into no-maj tech, computers and the internet for example, and can use key words and phrases to pull up anything relating to magic. It’s been a huge help to obliviators who are trying to uphold the statute. Yesterday, they alerted me that Cassandra recently sent this email to a Mr. Stark around 11 am:

_ Mr. Stark, _

 

_ I must first bring to your attention the fact that I have something that will change warfare as the world has known it to be. I realize that you may not have heard of me but in the circles that I usually socialize in the name Roche has much weight and respect with it. You have no reason to trust me, but if I could be granted the gift of your time for a mere ten minutes-actually I need only one, maybe three to convince you that what I have will make you richer than you already are, so much so that you will transcend the laws of man, as what I have transcends the laws of nature, and the laws of nature transcend the laws of man. _

_ I have always sympathized with the war going on in afghanistan and I find it quite sad that our boys and girls--no matter where they come from-- are coming home in those wretched body bags. I believe it is time for that to come to an end, despite what my people believe. This may not make much sense now but once I give you just a taste of what true power can be, America will win this war and a new era of peace will begin. _

_ You can email me at this address when you have decided. If you decided yes then you need only send a place and time to meet and I will be there. _

 

_ Sincerely, _

_ Cassandra Roche _ ”

 

Everyone was silent until Goldstein spoke up.“She can’t be serious can she?”

Graves face said it all.

 

“I heard the name before but I don’t pay too much attention to these no-maj’s--who’s he again?” Fontaine asked.

“He’s the CEO of a Stark Tech, a company that mainly creates weapons of war that are used in no-maj warfare: missiles, guns, tanks and the like. He also has some subdivisions, mainly R&D experimental stuff like a device called an arc-reactor.” Graves explained. “Nothing that will ever reach the public. He’s nicknamed  _ The Merchant of Death _ , his weapons are a lot of the reason why the war is still going on, and the reason his company's stock have been shooting through the roof.”

“I knew she sympathised with the no-maj’s but I never thought she would ever betray the magical community like this,” Tina said.

Everyone around the table shared similar sentiments.

“Has this Mr. Stark sent her a response?” Harry asked.

“Yes, in the form of an invitation to Starks annual summer gala, where I’m guessing she’s going to attempt to reveal the existence of magic to him.”

“How are we going to approach this,” Harry said, deferring to Graves. They had had their issues in terms of power dynamics when he first began, but Newt had managed to get the stupid oafs on the right track after locking them in his case overnight to ‘bond’. It was a night that sealed their friendship and one they would never speak of--too much happened in that case with creatures who weren’t all that familiar with Harry. Nothing said brotherly bonding like taming overly friendly nundus…

Graves smiled at Harry now, “I thought it best for every one of us who isn’t familiar with the no-maj’s society by spending the day with a no-maj born in the department to get a feel for how they work. That way we can infiltrate the gala under the ruse as guests from the NYPD elite force. Also I’ve already called dibs on Harry as my partner.”

Everyone in the room groaned. Fontaine muttered, “He’s technically a half-blood isn’t he?”

“My muggleborn friend Hermione says I’m an honorary muggleborn because I was raised like a muggle until I turned eleven and got my Hogwarts letter,” Harry said to that.

 

As everyone paired off or went looking for someone to pair off with, there was a timid knock at the door frame, where a tall redhead stood, wearing a blue button down, that was maybe at one time ironed, but lay in wrinkles that suited the haphazard wizard fine.

“Percival?” Newt called. Percival looked up and Harry had to suppress the gone look Graves had in his eyes every time he looked at Newt. It was just as sickening as watching Kowalski and the younger Goldstein. Percival greeted Newt at the door and Harry let them have their couple time as he like to call it, hanging back to speak to Tina. He offered to help Tina out if she couldn’t find anyone in time, sure that if they all met at Jacob’s bakery it would be even better since Kowalski was a muggle himself. She agreed, since Queenie would be there most likely and she would have someone to apparate home with.

At the bakery…

“All right, so first thing to remember being in a muggle social event is that everything is done by hand, no wands and no wandless magic whatsoever. If you spill something or trip, don’t try to save yourself or try to fix anything afterward, just let it happen, it’s a lot easier to explain than an inexplicably clean shirt when everyone saw the initial accident. Clumsiness is going to be inevitable in these murky waters for anyone who has never ventured outside of the magical communities besides the streets and the subways.” 

Graves and Goldstein were listening attentively to Harry’s lesson while Jacob, Queenie, and Newt stuffed their faces with nundu-donuts. 

“Don’t forget topics!” Jacob broke in helpfully.

“Right,” Harry said, glad for the reminder. “There are things that muggles deem appropriate for fancy events like this: pop-culture, news, and gossip of whoever is attending and who didn’t get invited.” He paused to take a bit of his muffin. 

“Obviously we may not be that up to date with pop-culture, so don’t even bother, just nod and smile or do whatever everyone else is doing, just don’t bring any attention to the fact that you have no idea what they are talking about. That only raises questions. Since our cover is NYPD detectives, then we need to be up to date with the latest muggle politics and crime because they will expect us to be able to speak at length about that. It should be easy enough to skim through headlines from the last couple years, and we should all study the guestlist carefully.”

“This is good stuff,” Graves muttered. “And not just the pastries, though that is really good as well, Jacob,” Graves complimented. It took a while for them to get on a first name basis apparently because there was a generations old grudge about the no-maj family being aware about the magical world. But that passed when Harry had shown kindness to the baker and Graves had fallen by his example. Grudgingly of course.

“I’ll be sure to relay this to the rest of the team when we get ready to tomorrow.” Graves said. “For now, I want you and Goldstein to be on the A team with me. We are the ones that will be wining and dining the rich no-maj’s for their trust. Once we get into the private screening with Stark, I want you two to cause a distraction while I use a polyjuice potion to trick Cassandra into giving me her wand where I will slip it for a dummy wand. Once the show is over, we swoop in and arrest her for attempted violation of the Statute of Secrecy.”

“Brilliant plan,” Harry congratulated.

“Thank you--now I think it’s time for dessert, don’t you think Newt?” Graves drawled easily, delighting at how the redhead became a  _ true _ redhead.

“Percy,” He complained weakly, while Queenie giggled and the rest of them gagged.

As they all parted ways for the night, Harry was once again struck how alone he was on this continent. He really hoped he would meet someone soon, and hoped that it would be who Death had promised: either his soulmate or one of the powerful humans he had been forewarned about. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was fun to write and I hope y'all enjoy. Next time we meet Tony I pinky promise. I hope you enjoy the early update and longer chapter  
> Brownie points to whoever catches the Ant Man reference!!!!!!!!! I love that movie, in my opinion the funniest movie in the avenger universe.


	4. The arrest of Cassandra Roche...or how Harry met Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Harry and the team of aurors capture Cassandra Roche and Harry finally meets Tony. Took 3 chapters for it to finally happen haha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little early post because I am so happy, because....(drumroll)...I SCORED 2TICKETS TO SEE GABRIEL "FLUFFY" IGLESIAS!!!!!!! Cost me like over 150, but hey, they're worth it. I love him almost as much as he loves chocolate cake haha. I'm still gonna post on Wednesday, maybe Tuesday if I finish the next chapter early, but this my little gift to all the wonderful readers who made my day with their sweet comments.

“This is stupid,” Weiss complained yet again.

“Well, then it suits you,” Graves replied.

Weiss was wearing a NYPD fancy uniform for show and he was not happy to say the least. 

The B team, which consisted of Weiss and Fontaine who were under the guise of being highly decorated officers, was going to hang around the sidelines of the incredibly beautiful gala they were all attending. 

Graves had taken a polyjuice potion to make him appear like the Captain of the NYPD elite forces, Thomas Ratchford, who was currently sleeping in his car and would wake up thinking he had one too many drinks the night before.

Harry was dressed in a dapper forest green suit that brought his eyes, while Tina was dressed in a slinky black dress that reminded him of something from the twenties, but with a modern twist. 

They were all huddled in a group near the outskirts of the room, searching for Cassandra Roche. People had come up to them repeatedly, so they had to play nice for the time being. There was no sign of Stark, the man of the hour, either.

Tina gasped, “Look, over there, by the terrace.” Harry and Percival looked over to see a beautifully done up Cassandra Roche walk up the steps from the garden. There was no entrance to the garden from the outside, so she must have apparated.

“That girl is nothing but trouble.” Graves muttered. “C’mon.”

Tina and Harry took the dance floor while Graves cautiously made his way over to Cassandra, shaking hands and socializing enough to make it look natural. Harry and Tina had twirled there way over to the refreshments table where Casandra looked absolutely baffled by the choices.

Harry had an idea. Initially, they were supposed to bump into her and distract her enough for them to make the slip, but this seemed easier:

“Tina, change of plan,” he whispered into her ear, while she smiled as if he said something funny.

She saw Cassandra at the table and took the hint. This would be much more subtle.

“Everything looks so delicious!” Tina exclaimed next to Cassandra, who looked up from the choices to smile at the older woman.

“Yes, I know, but I can’t decide.” Cassandra agreed, placing her long rectangular clutch on the table. It was just the right size to stow away a wand. Tina walked to the other side of the table, opposite from the girl, allowing Harry to take her place.

“Well you  _ have _ to try this,” Harry insisted in an American accent, placing an  hors d'oeuvre in her hand. His hair was styled to cover his scar, so she didn’t recognize him, and she certainly wouldn’t with that accent and his lack of eyewear.

She took a bite of the appetizer, and then moaned a little in delight.

“These too,” Tina recommended, passing her a kabob. The girl ate that up as well. Simultaneously, the two distracted her with food until Tina managed to snatch her purse without her noticing and pass it to Graves who ‘happened’ to be walking behind them. He disappeared into the men’s lavatory for a minute, before reemerging, the clutch hidden under his suit jacket. 

He sidled up along them, replacing the clutch before announcing his presence.

“Detectives, I hope you two are enjoying yourself at the refreshment table, you are taking advantage of Mr. Stark’s generosity,” Graves chided them as he pretended to be Captain Ratchford.

“Oh, that’s my fault,” Cassandra said to the Captain, smiling flirtatiously at him. “Your detectives here were just introducing me to the fine cuisine here. Mr…?”

“Ratchford, Captain Ratchford.”

She grinned devilishly at the man. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I can’t help but being so forward, but is there a  _ Mrs _ . Captain Ratchford?”

Before Graves could open his mouth to respond, a snarky voice said behind the group,

“According to the New York Ladies association, not for very long, am I right Ratchford?” Tony Stark had finally shown up to his own party.

“Ah…” Graves started, not entirely sure how to respond.

Tony looked at his expression, then became apologetic. “Sorry if it’s too soon, but when I saw you at the last charity event, you seemed pretty excited to finally be able to file those divorce papers.”

Graves coughed again, getting his bearings. “Yes, well it isn’t exactly public knowledge yet…”

“Hmm, well the reason I came over was to pull Ms. Roche aside, we have some business to discuss.”

Cassandra looked glad to have an out to the awkward situation.

“Yes! I’ll see you around, Captain Ratchford,” she told Graves, squeezing his arm on the way out.

Graves heaved a sigh as soon as they were out of earshot.

“Was I believable?”

“Absolutely,” Harry and Tina assured their Head Auror. 

“You switched out the wand?,” Harry questioned.

“Yeah, no thanks to the freakin couple going at it in the next stall,” He assured his second in command.

“Shall we watch this go down?” Tina asked as they walked in the same direction that Mr. Stark had left with Cassandra Roche. No doubt that the rest of the guests had dismissed her as his next bed guest.

“They went this way,” Graves said, having put a tracking spell on the dummy wand. They entered a corridor where a set of double doors were tightly shut. “They’re just on the other side of this door.”

Harry pulled out his wand and traced a circle on the door, muttering “ _ Aparecium _ ” to reveal the inside of the room as if looking through a window. They could see Tony Stark taking a seat on a rolling chair as Cassandra set down her clutch on the office desk.

“I'm going to ward the room against apparition,” Graves informed his team.

“Good idea in case she gets desperate,” Tina commented. “I also heard she isn’t too good at wandless magic.”

 

_ Inside the room: _

 

“Mr. Stark, you are very powerful man and you deserve only the best when it comes to weapons manufacturing.”

“I agree,” the older man said easily. “That’s why I hire the best chemical engineers, and technicians. Which you are not.”

“I’m not,” she also agreed easily, unsurprised that he had background checked her. “What  _ did _ you find on me?”

Tony Stark’s eye twitched and Harry could tell he was irritated by his findings.

“Not  much. You come from old money and property ownership. As well as a few other things that were for some reason encrypted so well it may have been another language. You’ve managed to intrigue me.”

She smiled, then said almost to herself, “The Unspeakables have gotten good.”

“Mr. Stark,” She said, finally opening her clutch to pull out her wand. “Are you particularly fond of that wall?” she asked, gesturing to the wall that was next to the double doors.

Tony eyed the wand in her hand.

“Not particularly. What are you going to do? Chopstick it?” He joked, unsure about her wand.

“This is a wand,” she explained factually.

“Is that what you call your new tech? I’ll admit it’s pretty whimsical--”

“No, Mr. Stark, this is a  _ magic _ wand.”

He waited for the punchline. When there was none, he started to get up, smoothing his suit out.

“Where are you going?!”

“Somewhere where there are  _ adults _ .”

She pushed him back so he landed back in his chair.

“NO--just, just watch okay?” 

He grimaced, but agreed.

“Fine, just hurry up and stop wasting my time.”

She sneered at him, “In a moment you’ll be begging for forgiveness.” Then she turned to face the trio behind the door, although she was unaware of them and pointed her wand at them.

“This better work,” Tina muttered uneasily.

“It will, she isn’t that powerful,” Graves reassured.

Crisply they heard Cassandra utter, “ _ Confringo _ .”

And nothing happened. She looked absolutely baffled, more than she had been at the buffet line.

“ _ Confringo _ !” She yelled again, louder. She took the wand in both hands and closed her eyes. After barely a second she opened her eyes, disgusted.

“This isn’t my wand.”

“And this deal isn’t going to happen,” Tony said, walking over to a conveniently placed liquor cabinet. He pulled out a glass.

She stormed over to him, “I’ll prove it too you!” Then grabbed his arm and attempted to apparate. When nothing happened the man yanked his arm out of her grasp.

“Harry,” Graves said, yanking his attention away from the scene in front of them. “Why don’t you and Tina take care of this while I distract Stark?” Harry nodded.

Graves knocked and entered the room as Captain Ratchford, glancing between the couple arguing.

“Is there something wrong?”

Tony looked relieved to have some backup. “Yes, I think Ms. Roche has had one too many drinks tonight. And read one too many novels.”

“I only came to tell you Mr. Stark, that Miss Potts is looking for you?”

Tony grimaced. “Crap! I was supposed to meet her.” He looked at Cassandra piteously. “Why don’t you wait here and maybe that wand of yours will start working.” 

She glared at him.

“Captain Ratchford, join me?” 

“Sure.” The two men left while Cassandra was ambushed by Harry and Tina.

Tina read her her charges while Harry cuffed her. “You Ms. Roche are under arrest for attempted violation of the Statute of Secrecy. You will be tried in a MACUSA court and your parents will be notified.”

“You set me up! I could have given him real power! YOU BI--”

“ _ Somnus _ .” Harry muttered effectively knocking her out.

“Thanks,” Tina said. “She was starting to piss me off.”

The door swung open and they exhaled with relief when it turned out to be Graves.

“Let’s have the B-team take her in, if we leave now we may be noticed. It’ll look like she was humiliated and left.”

“Alright,” Tina agreed, before frowning at Harry who was rubbing his forehead where his scar was.

“You alright Harry?”

He only grunted a bit. It felt almost as bad as when Voldemort had tried to invade his mind. But instead of throbbing pain, it was more of an ache, he could hear his heartbeat in his ears and a ringing sound.

“Harry,” Graves tried.

“I’m fine, just dizzy. Go mingle, I’ll meet you out there.” He insisted, pulling himself together for their sake.

They reluctantly agreed and when they were gone the feeling ceased. He took a breath. Maybe it was hearing the spell  _ Confringo _ that had killed his owl Hedwig that got to him. But he had made peace with her ghost long ago.

He studied the room he was in. It looked like it was mostly used for storage and as extra office space. He went over to the liquor cabinet and took the un-drunk glass of alcohol that Stark had left behind, and as he lifted it to his lips he wandered over to a framed blueprint, which he guessed was the prototype to a missile that Stark had designed.

“Merchant of Death,” he recalled the nickname.

“That’s what the left likes to call me,” Tony said from the doorway.

Harry spun around, dropping his glass to the floor, where it thudded dully on the persian carpet, spilling its contents.

“Whoa, it’s a sin to spill a single drop of scotch that good. I’m joking, don’t bother picking it up.” The inventor joked, striding over to the younger man.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Stark,” Harry apologised profusely, forgetting to use his accent. But Stark wasn’t aware of his fame so it didn’t matter.

“You should be,” Tony said, readying new drinks. “Wandering into rooms you shouldn’t be in. By the way, was there a women in here when you got here?”

“No, but I saw Ms. Roche running out.” Harry said readily. Tony looked mildly relieved. Then he squinted his eyes at Harry.

“Weren’t you with Captain Ratchford earlier? One of his detectives on the elite force if I recall,” he said. 

“You remember me?” Harry asked, not thinking he would remember someone he hadn’t even spoken to.

Tony smirked. “I couldn’t forget eyes like those. You get them from somewhere?”

Harry stopped. He wasn’t familiar with being flirted with by a man, but he had heard enough of Graves ridiculously flirting with Newt to be aware that this was in fact flirting. Tony Stark flirting.  _ With him _ .

“I have my mother’s eyes. It’s my father’s favorite thing about her,” Harry intoned reflexively, not entirely sure how he felt about the whole thing.

“Are your parents proud that their son is a detective?” Tony asked, slipping him his drink. Harry took it gratefully, glad to hold on to something.

“I like to think so,” Harry replied to him honestly. “But they’re dead.” And with that he threw his drink back. When he opened his eyes after enjoying the burn of the liquid down his throat, Tony looked chagrined.

“I’m sorry, I had no idea. Mine are too,” He said softly, kindly.

Harry laughed. “How could you know? You don’t even know my name.”

“And what is your name?” Tony said a bit more flirtatiously eager to pick it back up.

Harry isn’t sure what possessed him to answer resolutely, “Harry. Harry Potter.”

Just then, before Tony could respond, the door flew open to reveal an annoyed Pepper.

“Tony, stop neglecting your guests! You’ll have to cut this short,” She said, tilting her head toward Harry.

Tony rolled his eyes. “C’mon Pep, we all know everyone’s only here for the food and supposed ‘charity’.” Pepper gave him a look.

He sighed. “Alright, fine. I’ll see you around Mr. Potter,” he said goodbye to Harry, placing a hand on his forearm.

As soon as he did, Harry gasped, the world suddenly slowed to a stop. The lights dimmed, and the air took a sudden chill as if it the atmosphere itself had become frightened. To his left he heard a familiar voice.

_ So you found him. The man with an aura of death and destruction.  _

Harry looked at Stark, who looked as though he had been frozen in time, he was unmoving from where he had placed his hand on Harry’s arm. As Harry looked closer, he could see the aura Death had been speaking about. Is was a gray and murky shroud that wrapped around the man, and if he listened closely he could distantly hear the sound of war. Of death and destruction.

“It’s him?!”

_ Yes, young Master. You must grow close to him and aid him in his trials that will come soon. _

“How soon?”

_ In two years he will face his first trial. He will see the havoc he unknowingly wreaks. And he will need to fight for his life. That part he must do alone, but on his return, you must keep him going on the right path. There will be others watching him as well. Do well to stay out of their sight. _

“Of course,” Harry said sarcastically. Then he remembered. “You never said when exactly I will meet my soulmate. Or who it would be. I’m beginning to think it’s a bit of a lie. Also I’m sick of looking as old as Miss Roche.”

Death chuckled.  _ If you would like I could begin your aging, but then you would only be weaker when the final battle comes. You will thank me later. _

Harry huffed, frustrated that Death hadn’t mentioned anything about his soulmate. “Just let us go. I’ll do my best.”

Death complied almost instantly, so fast that Harry nearly got whiplash from the sudden amount of light and sound. He looked around him before falling back on Tony, who was looking at him expectantly.

“Oh, yes. I’ll...see you later Mr. Stark.”

“Let me walk you out,” He offered, and Harry agreed. When they reached the dance floor, Tina rushed over to him.

“Harry, the Captain thinks it’s best we go now that we made our appearance.” She looked slightly panicked seeing who he was with.

“Alright then. Goodnight, Mr. Stark.”

“And you as well Mr. Potter.” Tina shot him a look for giving his real name, but before he could say or do anything, Tony pressed a quick kiss to his knuckles, before letting Pepper sweep him off to mingle.

In shock, all he could do was stare at Tony’s back. He looked at Tina who looked equally shocked.

“I didn’t know you played for both teams Harry,” Graves appeared, teasing him and still dressed as Captain Ratchford.

“I don’t,” He said, disgruntled. “It’s just Stark.”

His teammates left him alone after that and they went to an alley and apparated to the MACUSA designated apparition point. Later that night as he threw his suit in a heap at his bed, he wondered how he was going to see someone as high-profile as Tony again. 

He really should have realized that someone with a nickname like “Merchant of Death” would be the first loose cannon he needed to wrangle. He also wondered who else would be watching them...he should really bring Graves and maybe the president in on his mission. It seemed he would need all the help he would get. But first, he needed to get close to Tony Stark

Little did he know, the inventor was already working on it…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Another chapter, a particularly long one and I hoped y’all like it. I had fun with this one too, that’s why it’s so long. And before you say anything, I know that a couple of the spells used aren’t canon, but it was the best I could do and they worked with the scene. So, yeah. Also next chapter will be a bit of Tony’s POV, I hope I do him justice.
> 
> With Love,  
> TaurusRidley


	5. Can we trust him?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say Tony is one curious cat in this chapter, and we get a close call with some memory magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys want some clarification as to how slow Harry is aging, keep in mind that currently he has aged the equivalent of one year in a whole decade. This is the pace that Death thinks will keep him strong enough to make it in Infinity wars. So for now, 10 years equals 1 year of aging for Master of Death Harry. Also I don’t really know how many chapters this is going to end up being, but I do want it to span all the way through phase 2 and 3 depending how infinity wars goes. Only a few months till that hey!
> 
> The MCU movie timeline is really confusing, so for the sake of the story, I'm gonna stick with the one that I already have, because trying to make it canon to to movies is hard:(

Tony Stark knew he was a genius, he was not a humble man. He was the inventor of many life altering technology, a billionaire with a lot of influence, and of course, a playboy philanthropist. 

Which is why he felt kind of stupid for believing Cassandra Roche’s whole ‘tempt him with power’ act. 

He blamed it on vanity.

So he was relieved when the Captain of the elite force gave him an out and he could mingle once again, after giving Pepper a quick peck on the cheek for the cameras, then promptly ditching her for some more alcohol. 

After a shot for good luck, he decided he could deal with kicking out the probably delusional young woman waiting in the spare office space.

Tony looked through the ajar door and instead of a crazy woman he saw a handsome young man between 18 and 25. 

If he had to guess, he would lean towards 25, because of the way the man carried himself. It wasn’t the cocky arrogance that the teenagers that bothered to show up to events usually carried themselves with. 

It was the maturity and confidence of someone who knew their place in life.

Whoever he was, he cut a nice figure in his viridian suit, so Tony took a moment to appreciate what he saw, leaning against the doorframe.

“Merchant of Death,” he heard the younger man mutter as he inspected a framed blueprint that decorated the wall. 

Tony internally frowned at hearing that, but the smooth man that he was he simply said, announcing his presence:

“That’s what the left likes to call me.” He said, smirking a little at the startled look on the man’s face.

The stranger spun around, apparently so startled he dropped his glass to the floor, where it thudded dully on the persian carpet, spilling its contents.

“Whoa, it’s a sin to spill a single drop of scotch that good. I’m joking, don’t bother picking it up.” Tony joked easily, striding over to the younger man. He decided to get some drinks ready for himself and his unexpected guest.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Stark,” The young man apologised profusely, in an attractive British accent. 

“You should be,” Tony said, readying the drinks. “Wandering into rooms you shouldn’t be in. By the way, was there a woman in here when you got here?” Tony asked, apprehensive of the answer he might receive.

“No, but I saw Ms. Roche running out.” The young man answered. Tony was relieved, now he didn’t need to sicc Pepper on the poor girl. Then he squinted his eyes at Harry, recalling when he saw him last.

“Weren’t you with Captain Ratchford earlier? One of his detectives on the elite force if I recall,” Tony remembered. 

“You remember me?” The young man’s voice was clearly surprised someone like Tony Stark would give him the time of day. Tony zeroed in on the shocked expression that was evident in his expressive eyes--and oh hey, those eyes were quite nice, weren’t they?

Tony smirked. “I couldn’t forget eyes like those. You get them from somewhere?” he asked, hoping that he might get lucky if he flirted enough. 

Oh, he was Tony Stark,  _ of course _ he was getting lucky.

The young man stopped. And oooh, he could spot someone unfamiliar with the joys of homosexual affection(and by extension sex) from a mile away. 

Tony had encountered men like that before and each time, he had successfully made them a fan of Tony Stark’s affection(and sex), if not all men’s affection.

“I have my mother’s eyes. It’s my father’s favorite thing about her,” The stranger with pretty green eyes informed him.

“Are your parents proud that their son is a detective?” Tony asked politely, slipping him his drink. Not that he actually cared, but it seemed like something someone who cared would say.

“I like to think so,” The younger man replied, before continuing on, “But they’re dead.” And with that he threw his drink back, his eyes screwed shut.

Well, now Tony just felt like an ass. When the man opened his eyes, he felt like he needed to say something honest.

“I’m sorry, I had no idea. Mine are too,” Tony said softly, kindly.

The young man laughed in surprise. “How could you know? You don’t even know my name.”

Oh, yeah.

“And what is your name?” Tony said a bit more flirtatiously eager to pick it back up.

He answered Tony resolutely, “Harry. Harry Potter.”

Interesting name, Tony thought, but before he could respond, the door flew open to reveal an annoyed Pepper.

“Tony, stop neglecting your guests! You’ll have to cut this short,” She said, tilting her head toward Harry.

Tony rolled his eyes. “C’mon Pep, we all know everyone’s only here for the food and supposed ‘charity’.” Pepper gave him a look that said,  _ you getting laid is not as high of a priority as the company stocks dipping because you decided to at your own event _ .

He sighed. “Alright, fine. I’ll see you around Mr. Potter,” he said goodbye to Harry, placing a hand on his forearm. 

The man tensed up, then looked around startled, before replying. He must have really made an impression on him, Tony thought regretfully. Another time, probably with another person.

He led him out back into the dancefloor, leaving him with a classy kiss on the knuckles he was proud of. Pepper whisked him away and he began to complain.

“Pep, what the heck, I don’t know if you noticed but I was this close to teaching that newbie the joys of _ oral pleasure _ .”

Pepper rolled her eyes at his dramatics. “Tony this company is more important than that. Did you get his name?”

“Yeah. Harry Potter. And  _ he’s British _ .”

“Cute, now you can just have Jarvis look him up if you still remember him in the morning.”

Tony snorted at that, because hey, it was true.

The rest of the night did not result in Tony getting blackout drunk, but he was a little foggy on how a Swedish supermodel ended up his bed. He left quietly, knowing that Jarvis would direct his guest out, and if all else failed there was always Pepper.

Down in his workshop he helped himself to some life-giving coffee, and pulled up a few screens, scrolling through his last work to wake himself up. 

There was the email that Cassandra Roche had sent him, which he promptly deleted, feeling like he wasted time with that lunatic. He went to delete all, or really the lack of info his compulsive background check on her pulled up, but he stopped on those encrypted files.

Something just didn’t sit right with him; he was the best hacker there was as soon as hacking had become a thing, and here he was, locked out of something that was surprisingly confidential. 

The files he was looking at should have been public record business files, but they were encrypted as much as something that was a secret new product. How did Roche’s family get their money?

The more he dug the less it made sense. It looked like it was connected to an NYPD government backed server, and linked to many other heavily encrypted files. There were twelve other names that seemed important, and one in particular caught his eye.

_ Potter _ . Hmm, now didn’t that name just sound familiar.

“Jarvis, what can you find on a Mr. Harry Potter? He attended the gala last night with the NYPD, I believe he’s a detective for the elite task force.”

The AI was silent for a moment before saying cautiously, “This is all I could find, sir.”

He had pulled up a birth certificate for Harry Potter and did a double take at the year.

“1980? Damn, he just turned 28 and he doesn’t look it, hell he could pass for ten years younger. Must have lucky genes.”

“Indeed sir,” The AI replied. “It appears that there are no actual public records for the elite task force, besides names. No records on cases or anything of that nature.”

Tony looked disappointed at that.

“Apparently Mr. Potter has inherited some lordship titles and has quite the fortune that he has carefully invested in the stock market. Mr. Potter is doing financially well as one would expect from old, British money.”

“And he’s a cop? Now I  _ have _ to see this kid again. Man. Guy--agh for crying out loud I was trying to  _ sleep _ with him last night. Jarvis, remind me to run a background check on all my potential bedmates.”

“Of course sir, but you never pay attention to them when I do,” The AI pointed out.

“Jarvis, I’m gonna need you to keep the sass level to a minimum when I’m this much frustrated combined with being this hungover.” Thankfully the AI said nothing to that.

“Shall I have breakfast delivered sir?”

“Yes--and make it snappy.”

  
  


Later that week, Tony found himself parked in front of NYPD headquarters.

“This might take a while Happy, go get yourself a coffee or one of those donut’s you pretend you don’t eat anymore.”

He tossed a 50 dollar bill which Happy caught saying, “Hey, I resent that. I’m on a diet, and you know that you can’t be sabotaging me like that, you punk.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony said, swinging his door open, “Make it sugar free or whatever.”

He didn’t hear the rest because he slammed the door behind him, but it was probably some more grumbling.

He walked up the steps to the secretary of the station, a serious looking brunette who had no time for nonsense. Tony decided he would lay off the over the top flirting for her sake.

“Tony Stark, but I’m sure you already knew that.”

“What can I do for you Mr. Stark? Haven’t you heard that you can mail in your parking ticket payments now? Or too busy selling to the enemy?”

Tony glared evenly at her, but let it go, not taking her obvious baiting.

“I’m looking for a detective from the elite task force, a Mr. Potter? I have a case for him.”

“Our elite detectives don’t do freelance work.”

“It has to do with Cassandra Roche.”

That gave her pause. She looked at him warily, before pressing a button under the counter that he couldn’t see.

“One moment, sir.” And with that she got up and disappeared into a room behind the counter.

Tony was confused; he had no idea who or what the name Roche meant, but it clearly was of significance to the police department. It didn’t feel right.

He was disturbed from his internal questioning by a beautiful blonde that stepped behind the counter.

“Mr. Stark?” She looked at him with a rather dreamy look in her eyes.

“The one and only.” she gave him a smile, while he ran his eyes over her body.

“Oh, Mr. Stark, you really shouldn’t look at a lady like that, you’ll make me blush.”

He ran his eyes once more over her pale pink blouse and khaki pencil skirt that ran over her knees.

“Well, you aren’t exactly in police standard uniform, how could I keep my eyes off Miss…?”

“Goldstein. Queenie Goldstein. And I’m soon to be Mrs. Kowalski, for your information,” She informed him, fluttering the gold band on her ring finger delicately.

Tony smiled, “Congratulations. Now, I was looking for--”

“Harry.” She said suddenly, as strange look coming over her face.

Tony stopped. “Yes, your co-worker told you I assume, that I have a case for Mr. Potter.”

“Harry’s off today, Mr. Stark. And I am too in a minute,” she said, reaching below the counter to pull out a pink purse that matched her nails, and also wave a silent spell before stowing her wand in her bag.

She walked around the counter to pass by him to the door, where she paused.

“I’d be more than happy to show you where he lives, sweetie. But I think he might be at my fiance’s bakery right now. He usually is on Fridays.”

Tony looked around before agreeing, “Alright.”

She walked him down the block, apparently it was a short walk away.

“So, you enjoy working for the NYPD, Ms. Goldstein?”

“I don’t normally work for the NYPD Mr. Stark. And please keep your eyes to yourself.”

Tony jerked his eyes away from her curvaceous backside. He thought he was being subtle, since she was walking ahead of him, but apparently not.

“And where  _ do _ you normally work?”

She looked at him with her dreamy eyes. “Congress.”

“Are you a government worker?”

“I’m a secretary, but yes, I suppose so,” she answered in that sweet voice of hers. She pulled out her phone, texting Harry that Stark was with her, and that Obliviators would be sent shortly as she walked him towards an alley. It was only protocol, but she felt Harry deserved to know.

“I told Harry to meet us at the bakery,” She told Stark, who she heard bought her lie.

She led him towards an alley that the Obliviators would ambush Stark at the end of. 

“Come down here Mr. Stark, it’s a shortcut,” she lied to him as she pulled him gently through the alley.

“Doesn’t look too safe,” he noted.

“It is,” she assured him. “I go down here all the time. Besides, I have you to protect me, don’t I?”

They shared a smile, and were interrupted by Queenie’s phone chiming urgently. She frowned and answered it. Before she could even say hello, Harry was speaking.

“ _ Queenie, do _ not _ get him obliviated, I need him _ .”

“Sweetie, I don’t think you understand--” she said awkwardly, moving away from Tony.

“ _ Queenie _ ,” Graves voice said in her ear, “ _ I’m pulling rank, I’ll call the Obliviators in a moment, just-- do not send that no-maj down the alley. We’ll explain at Jacobs _ .”

“Are you sure?” she said hesitantly

“ _ Yes, now please hurry over _ .”

“Okay, sweetie.” And she hung up.

“Was that Harry?” Tony asked, wondering what got her so shaken.

“Yes, and I think you’re right, Mr. Stark. This alley does deem dangerous. Let’s take a cab.”  
He looked at her suspiciously, but internally shrugged it off. 

“No need. I have a driver.” Tony said, pulling his phone out to text Happy, who shortly pulled up on the curve.

“Where to boss?”Happy said.

“24th of Lantern Street.” Queenie answered for him. Tony shot her another calculating look; that street was 15 minutes away, not around the block. But he just pressed his lips together, while pulling out his phone to fiddle with during the duration of the ride. Queenie kept shooting him worried looks, before pulling her own phone out to tell Harry that they were on their way.

 

***

Harry was nursing a cup of tea at Jacob’s bakery when Graves and Picquery showed up. He had made up his mind to make them aware of his mission since he would have to break a few laws to complete it,and Graves could be kind of a hard ass when it came to theses things. He valued their friendship, so he had to let him in on it.

“Graves, Piquery,” Harry greeted them as they walked in, Piquery looking around her at the baked confectionaries that so closely resembled magical creatures.

“Potter,” Seraphina greeted him. “I haven’t been here since I was a little girl; I forgot how whimsical this place could be.”

Jacob stepped out of the back room where he baked, and waved them all over. “I took it upon myself to feed our little meeting.”

Seraphina raised an eyebrow. “Did Mr. Kowalski do something?” she asked, instantly suspicious.

“No,” the man in question and Harry said in unison.

“Jacob’s place seemed like a neutral place to meet because you aren’t going to like what I have to tell you.” Harry explained.

“But, before we get into anything unpleasant, can I offer you a niffler, Madame President? They’re my Queenie’s favorite.”

Piquery obliged, and Harry was about to begin his talk when there was a crash upstairs.

“ _ Newt _ !” They heard the older Goldstein snap. 

Graves sighed. “One moment, I need to go make sure Newt’s okay and Tina hasn’t stunned him too hard in retaliation.”

A minute later, a disgruntled Tina appeared.

“What happened?” Harry asked, looking at her slightly wrinkled dress.

“Niffler.”

“Ah.” Everyone said in understanding. Graves and a redder than usual Newt came down soon after, and they all settled into their spots around the kitchen table, Newt sitting on Graves lap since they were a chair short.

“The reason I have gathered you all here is because I need to confirm a few rumors that have been circulating around me for years.” With that he opened his satchel that Hermione had gifted him and dumped the contents: his father’s cloak, and a small wooden box. 

He folded the cloak into a careful triangle and pulled his wand--the elder wand--and placed it on top of the cloak. Then he opened the box, revealing the Resurrection Stone, placing it carefully next to the other two Hallows.

Graves stiffened, recognizing what the symbolic meaning of the items were. Piquery and Tina looked apprehensive, while Newt’s eyes widened. Jacob stood quietly off to the side, the conversation suddenly very out of his depth.

“So it’s true…” Tina finally spoke.

“You’re the Master of Death,” Graves said plainly. “It’s why you haven’t aged.”

Harry winced. “Actually that’s what I’m getting to next.”

Now that he confirmed what they had all suspected, Piquery cleared her throat. “Go on, Potter.”

Harry sighed, preparing himself.

“I didn’t move to America to get away from all the memories, although the move has helped with that...Death spoke to me over a year ago, in my home with my best mates as witness. He told me the reason I have not aged is because he was keeping me young and strong for a reason…”

“What reason?” Newt prompted, fascinated. He had grown up to stories of Beedle the Bard and now they were suddenly very real. It was fantastic.

“He said that within the next decade of this century powerful humans would arise and I would need to guide and help them so to speak, against the powers that would arise against them. He gave me a job; to keep the balance.”

“Do you know who these wizards are?” Graves questioned, going into auror mode.

“That’s the thing; they aren’t wizards, they’re muggles. I do happen to know who the first one is, and Death did say he would lead me to the rest.”

“Muggles?,” Newt muttered in wonder.

“Who is the first one?” Piquery asked.

“Tony Stark.”

Graves swore. “Of course it would be a high profile no-maj.”

“And this is why you wanted to speak with us? To warn us that the Statute would be in danger?” Seraphina questioned. “Are the no-maj’s going to hunt us down again?”

“NO,” Harry assured. “I just needed to give you a heads up before I share the secret with Tony Stark.”

Piquery rolled her eyes. “Oh, just a heads up before you expose all of wizard kind to a no-maj we don’t know if we can even trust? Absolutely not, it was a close enough call with Roche--”

“I’m not just going to show him a few spells and hope for the best. I’ll get to know him and gain his trust. I need your support, Madame President. Death predicted that it was time for wizard kind to help in keeping the balance. We can at least do that from the shadows, right?”

Piquery didn’t look convinced. But they were interrupted by a beep from Harry’s cell phone. His eyes widened.

“Shit,” Harry said, “Apparently Stark showed up at the police station looking for me. He remembered me from the gala. Madame President, I need your answer; do I have your support?”

Piquery looked at the items still on the table. She slowly reached a hand out to hover above the Resurrection Stone, but couldn’t bring herself to touch it.

“Death also blackmailed me,” Harry barely said above a whisper. “He said he would prevent me from seeing my lost loved ones ever again, even with the Stone.”

She flicked her eyes up to meet his.

“He did promise me though that if I went along with this and fulfilled his quest, I would meet my soulmate.”

Newt widened his eyes. Soulmates were the stuff of legends and only great heros with terrible troubles could knowingly meet them. He looked over at Seraphina and saw the look of sympathy in her eyes as she pulled her hand back and stood up.

For a moment, Harry thought she was going to leave, but she looked him in the eye.

“Be careful Potter. I expect a written report on my desk every week.”

With that approval he called Queenie and Graves snatched the phone from his hand when he had barely said anything. 

When the call ended, Graves stepped out to call the Obliviators off. Seraphina followed him, taking her leave. It was just then that Harry sighed in both relief and  distress.

“Would you like some help mate?” Newt offered. 

Harry laughed. “Let’s hold off on showing him magical creatures for a few months or so. I still need to figure out whether I can trust him with our secret. If not, then I need to figure out how I can convince him it’s just me.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Tina said doubtfully. 

Harry gave her a look, but headed out to the front of the bakery.

“Do you want us to stick around?” Tina asked helpfully. Harry thought about it but as much as he trusted his friends, he thought it would too much of a risk to have them around--at first. He needed one on one time with Tony, to see what kind of person he was, how he could be trusted, and with what...to really understand the genius since he would inevitably need to fight battles with this man.

“Not yet,” Harry told her, and they left him alone in the front of the shop where he braced himself for the unstoppable force that was Tony Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another, even LONGER chapter:) I hope you guys like the switching pov it was a ton of freaking work ugh, but hey I wanted both characters views represented. I honestly don't know whats gonna happen in the next chapter so hopefully that gives us all a happy surprise!


	6. A Talk, of Sorts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Tony finally get to that conversation, but more questions are asked then answered???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes out to my new beta reader Foopy, who is the best, pointing out errors I didn’t notice, and helping me with things I wasn’t sure about.

Harry wrung his hands a bit, sharing worried glances with Jacob, the only one who had stayed behind because, well, it  _ was _ his shop. He kept glancing at his phone, the addictive thing it was, to keep an eye out for any unexpected updates from Queenie. She had told him that they were on their way, Tony’s driver taking them directly to the bakery.

This worried Harry; the man was already suspicious if he was nosing around the precinct asking about Harry and Cassandra Roche. He was clearly not stupid if he was conducting his own investigation behind the scenes, and if he was half the genius that everyone believed him to be, it would take a lot to give him an answer that he would buy for the time being.

Harry sighed to himself as he waited anxiously, giving Jacob a grateful smile when he pushed a hippogriff shaped muffin over to his now empty cup of tea.

“Wanna refill kid?” Jacob asked the younger man, gesturing to his teacup.

“Nah, I’ll be fine, Jacob.”

Jacob shrugged, then retreated into the back room to check on his cookies.

Harry stuffed his face with the muffin, which was a bad idea because that was when Stark and Queenie decided to walk through the front door, bell tinkling in a belated warning--it was time to face the music.

“Mr. Stark,” Harry greeted, giving Queenie a grateful nod. If she could hear his thoughts she would be in on the plan faster, he thought ruefully. Whatever Death had done to him to keeps his mind safe was both a blessing and a curse. 

Queenie smiled in understanding, despite not being able to hear his thoughts, and that was when Jacob appeared, covered in a sheen of flour.

“Welcome to the Kowalski Family Bakery--Queenie!” He said, seeing his adoring fiancee. 

“Honey,” she said, walking behind the counter to greet him with a sweet kiss. Jacob grinned from ear to ear, before turning to Tony.

“Mr. Stark, I-I apologize for looking so out of sorts--”

“Nonsense. Occupational hazard I would assume,” Tony said placatingly, soothing the man. 

Jacob smiled unsurely.

“Can I offer you a niffler Mr. Stark? Or perhaps a hippogriff muffin like Harry’s eating?”

Tony’s attention swerved over to the wizard, eyes pinning him like a target.

“I’ll have what Mr. Potter’s having.”

“Of course, Mr. Stark, right away!” Jacob and Queenie retreated into the back to grab the backstock muffins since Jacob had given Harry the last.

Tony meandered closer to Harry, eyes taking in all the whimsical confectionaries.

“Nice place. You know you aren’t helping the donuts and cops stereotype,” Tony pointed out.

Harry wiped his mouth with a napkin hide his smirk.

“I understand you have a case for me Mr. Stark?” he said, getting to the point. “NYPD detectives don’t normally take freelance work, but I’ll make an exception.”

“Am I special?” Apparently, Death himself thought so, but he didn’t want to blow up the already narcissistic man’s ego.

“I’m sure you think so.” Tony pouted at that, jokingly, then wagged his finger at the younger man.

“You are something, Potter,” Tony said, taking a seat next to Harry who faced the counter, while Tony faced the door, leaning back into it. He pulled his phone out and showed Harry the encrypted files he wasn't able to hack into.

“Care to explain why everything on the Roche family is under lock and key by none other than the NYPD? Or would you like to just tell me that the NYPD likes to cover up mentally deranged rich people?”

Harry glanced at the files on the phone before taking another bite of his muffin.

Tony huffed but trudged on. “I saw your name under there, all of the names in there come from old money, but  _ how _ exactly that money currently is being funded remains a mystery, Mr. Potter. Now tell me, are you covering up a money laundering scheme? Or is it drugs?”

Harry internally gaped at him. That was what Tony thought they were up to? He had to give it to the Unspeakables, they knew how to cover something up to the point of it looking like a conspiracy theory scheme. 

Only one problem. Tony was suspicious. Tony  _ Stark. _ And he wasn’t exactly known for being subtle.

Tony’s eye twitched at Harry’s unreadable expression. He snapped.

“C’mon, give me something! What the hell are you up to? You know Cassandra Roche hasn’t been seen since the gala last week? Did she give away how loony and fucked up these drugs are making people?” Tony asked, apparently settling on the drug theory.

“Mr. Stark,” Harry began cautiously as if Tony were acting crazy, which he kinda was. “Ms. Roche is currently living it up in a spa for rich alcoholics. As for the snooping, I’ll have you know that I could arrest you right now for hacking into a government server. You could become a felon so long as I give my testimony.” Harry informed the man a touch cheerily.

Tony stiffened, then scoffed. Pepper had hired the best lawyers for this type of thing.

“Is that a  _ threat _ ?”

“It’s a promise.” 

Harry realized how close they were. He leaned back on the bar stool, facing the counter where Jacob and Queenie were eavesdropping by the door. Tony noticed too and leaned back as well.

“Mr. Stark,” Jacob said, depositing the muffin by the inventor and retreating back into the kitchen, pulling the door shut firmly behind him.

Tony and Harry stared at the muffin for a moment, collecting their thoughts.

“That’ll be $2000,” Harry broke the silence.

Tony raised an incredulous brow.

“For a  _ muffin _ ?”

“For wasting my time. I solved your case; Cassandra Roche is in The Elements Day Spa in Vermont. You can verify that information with the staff there. I’m sure they would go so far as to let you visit her.”

Tony couldn’t believe this guy--he was almost glad that nothing had come of that night at the gala.

“Don’t you believe me?” Harry challenged determined to see what kind of man Tony Stark really was. Did he believe what was fed to him? Or did he seek truth--justice?

Tony was silent for a moment, then he picked up the muffin and stuffed his face with it.

“NO,” he muttered through bites. “BUT, you intrigue me,” he said doing that annoying thing with his finger again, wagging it in Harry’s face. Harry smacked it away. Tony just kept eating.

“Fuck, this is good,” Tony muttered, looking at his muffin in surprise.

Harry internally smirked. Outwardly, he raised an eyebrow.

Tony noticed. “What? I spent all day yesterday trying to hack those encrypted files instead of eating. You won’t tell me what they’re about?” At this point, Tony was more curious than anything, getting the sense that Harry wasn’t a dirty cop or criminal to say the least. No sinister vibes that he could detect, anyhow.

Harry looked at him seriously.

“Maybe one day--when the NYPD needs you for something.”

Tony could feel the weight behind his words and wondered about them. He looked into Harry’s deep green eyes and noticed that they matched the long-sleeved T-shirt he was wearing. 

“Do you colour coordinate everything with your eyes? Because it’s kind of ridiculous how your eyes always look this intense,” Tony blurted, his mouth running ahead of him.

Harry looked taken aback, not entirely sure if that counted as a compliment or some weird form of flirting--

“What? No,” Harry looked down at his clothes and when he thought about it, half his clothes  _ were  _ on the green/blue side. “I guess everyone I know always seems to buy me green clothes. This was a Christmas gift from one of my best friends.”

“So you have friends,” Tony joked. “I thought you would be the type of man married to his job.”

Harry huffed, regretfully looking into his empty teacup. “I think you’re mistaking me for you, Stark.”

Tony regarded the man once more, giving him a self-deprecating smile, glancing down at the files on the screen of his phone.

“What’s this about then?” he asked Harry, pointing at the file labeled  _ Potter _ .

Harry smirked at seeing that. “My files, and family genealogy. I guess you could call me a legacy, since a relative of mine also worked for the NYPD a long time ago.”

Tony didn’t think Harry was lying and he wasn’t really sure to go from here, with no real answers. Did it matter in the end? Cassandra probably _was_ living it up in some alcoholics day spa that he had probably visited at some point himself. He supposed the only way would ever learn anything about this mysterious detective is if he got to know the younger man.

And for some reason Tony didn’t think that would be such a bad thing. What probably was a bad thing was how much he was looking forward to making this kid--guy?  _ Man _ , made him uncomfortable.

Somehow they fell into the midst of easy back and forth banter, managing to demolish an entire tray of Demiguise donuts. It was late when they came back to reality, Tony getting an urgent page on his phone from Pepper Potts.

“Shit! I forgot about the board-budget-meeting-something or other,” Tony said. “Peppers gonna be pissed. Kowalski, pack me a to-go bag, your finest goods.”

Jacob obliged immediately, giving Mr. Stark the freshest stuff he had, which wasn’t much because it was nearly closing time around 6 ‘o clock. Tony carelessly tossed him a crisp 100, then stuffed a fifty in the tip jar before taking the sack and turning to Harry.

“I think we’ll be seeing more of each other soon Mr. Potter.”

Harry not-smiled at the inventor, using his eyes to convey what he felt.

“If that’s the case then you better start calling me Harry, Tony.”

“ _Excuse_ me, but that’s Mr. Tony to you.” He quipped playfully. He gave Harry a considering look. “I’m coming over to see you Sunday. I expect a candlelit dinner, champagne and strawberries, the works.” Tony abruptly told Harry as he headed out to where Happy was dutifully waiting in the car.

“You don’t know where I live!” Was all Harry managed to say before the man slammed the door behind him.

A few seconds later, Harry’s phone beeped:

  
  


_ Actually, I do. For a guy with almost as much money as me, you couldn’t pick somewhere nicer?--TS _

  
  


Harry grinned at the ridiculous nature of the inventor. Of course, he would hack into his phone and find out where he lived.

  
  


_ Unlike you, I don’t need a mansion in Malibu to overcompensate for everything else I lack in.--HP _

 

_ Babe, Tony Stark doesn’t lack in anything. _

  
  


Harry had to laugh at that and when he looked up, Jacob and Queenie were looking at him funny. Tina and Newt walked through the swinging door to the kitchen with Graves close behind, all of them with knowing looks on their faces. He wouldn’t doubt it if they had been scrying through the wall as they had done during the Cassandra Roche arrest.

Harry met their gazes evenly.

“So,” Graves drawled. “You want a cooking lesson for your date? I know this great dish that gets Newt moaning.” 

Newt pinched the bridge of his nose, steadily turning red by the second. “Percy, sometimes I hate that you can’t stop being so  _ lewd _ .”

Graves laughed, pulling the wizard to his side. “I’ll stop being lewd when you stop turning redder than a phoenix.” 

Everyone laughed for a minute before Graves started again. “But really Harry, how do you intend to get someone as chaotic and filterless as that to keep a secret? Besides his own of course, I hear that the arc reactor technology is especially under lock in key. To me, he seems like the type who is tempted too much by power, control.”

Harry frowned. “You may be right, but he will become one of the most powerful humans on the Earth. One of Earth mightiest heroes I should think.”

“How?” Tina wondered. “He’s got a bit of muscle in those arms, I’ll give him that, but how do you expect him to be any use in a battle?”

It was Queenie who answered. “Mr. Stark’s got quite the mind; always going a mile a minute, very observant. And it’s almost like he can’t turn off his genius, I kept seeing images of technology and equations running in his brain, even when he was occupied--though maybe a bit less when he was flirting with Harry.”

“Hey mate, all teasing aside, you don’t care for Stark like that,  _ do you? _ ” Newt questioned curiously.

Harry bristled. He hadn’t cared for anyone like  _ that _ since Ginny and that relationship had soured, but at least had been salvaged as a friendship.

“I have someone,” Harry responded. “I just haven’t met them yet, remember?”

Graves raised a curious eyebrow. “What if Stark is that someone?”

Harry froze.

“You both seem to hit it off fairly well, wouldn’t be surprised if that turned out to be the case.” Graves continued on as Harry stood shell-shocked. He had no real expectations for who his soulmate would be, but what if it did turn out to be Tony? Or any man in general? Uncle Vernon had always spewed hateful things during the times that had grudgingly dragged him along to church. 

What’s funny is that the small church they attended never said anything directly homophobic, but Vernon had always interpreted it that way, to warn Harry not to be so slight--like he could help it--otherwise he might be seen as some sort of poof and embarrass the Dursley’s more than he did just merely existing. Graves’ voice shook him out of his reverie.

“Then again, wouldn’t you know?”

Harry looked at his friends. “Absolutely no idea. Let’s not make wild guesses about my soulmate--I’m starting to regret telling you lot about that.”

“Oh, Harry,” Queenie said, putting a hand on his cheek. “It’s just our way of saying we’ll still care about you no matter what.”

“Bit hypocritical if we didn’t,” Newt muttered still leaning into Graves side.

“Who knows, maybe it will turn out to be a platonic soulmate,” Tina mused.

“Ooh I heard about this lady, from that medium show, remember the one Queenie? Anyway, this lady found out that her aunt was her soulmate and that’s why they got along so well. Completely platonic,” Jacob supplied his muggle knowledge. 

Well, that would be a bit disappointing Harry thought. He may have been a bit of a romantic, so what if he had dreams about meeting someone who could be his partner in everything? After all the crap that Harry had been through, didn’t he of all people deserve a happy ending?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this ain't that long, I had a lot of studying to do for my English midterm, and I have more to do for my Oceanography midterm Monday, ugh. I may not have time to write for next week, because knowing me I would work on this rather than study for the midterm I am prolly gonna fail anyway?   
> Anyway, another shoutout to Foopy, whom I appreciate all the help with editing the previous chapters which WILL be undergoing some minor editing when I find the time and again, sorry this is on the shorter side.


	7. Breakfast is Served

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected visit that we all see coming finally happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first off, sorry for the late update. Had some things going on, and to top it off I accidentally skipped work today, but I didn't fired so hey! Let's celebrate that with a new chapter. I think because my personal schedule shifted, I'll move updates to Friday. Anyway, enjoy, and thanks again to Foopy for the second set of eyes.

The next day as luck would have it, dark wizards that led a smuggling ring happened to get a shipment of highly illegal Bowtruckles, known for their ability to pick locks. Newt, upon hearing this was absolutely appalled and demanded his boyfriend let him consult for the case.

Harry and Tina watched the ensuing argument with some amusement as they all could figure that Newt would probably get his way, even if Percival didn’t want to admit defeat yet.

“Newt, these are dangerous smugglers. As in, they have without a doubt used dark magic before and would not hesitate to cast a killing curse on anyone who intervenes!”

“Is that supposed to deter me? Now I think I should go just for your protection!”

Graves wiped his face. “The only way I will be endangered is if you come along and distract me.”

Newt looked incredulous, crossing his arms. Graves let out another sigh, exasperated, but resigned as he looked at the determined look in Newts eyes that were as green as the magical grass that grew in his creatures case that had been passed down for generations in the Scamander family.

“I have faced poachers and the like before, and I spar occasionally with Tina, I’m not incapable, Percy,” Newt said, trying for comfort.

“You’re just going to come along anyway, why fight it?” Graves said brusquely. He pushed past his lover, ignoring the hand that came up to grasp his arm to enter his office and shut the door behind him.

Newt sighed and turned back to Harry and Tina.

“He’s just worried about you,” Tina said. “These are dangerous missions, Newt. Leave it to the Aurors I would tell you, but that rebellious blood runs in your family from what I’m told.”

Newt smiled a little at that but perked up when the door to Percival’s office swung open again. Percival lingered in the doorway hesitantly.

“Newt?”

Newt immediately went to his lover and was caught up in a desperate embrace, and the door shut before they could catch more than a snippet of the following conversation--

“Newt, promise me you’ll be--”

Tina sighed. Harry looked over at her curiously. “They butt heads so much, and they always come back to each other...I kind of envy them.” She elaborated.

Harry gave her a sympathetic look, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder. He had to agree, it was hard being the odd one out, or in this case two.

 

***

“Goldstein, Weiss, Fontaine. You’ll be posing as the buyers. Weiss, you’ll be an eccentric wizard, whose wife shares those eccentricities, who Goldstein will be posing as. Fontaine, you will be pretending to be their expert--”

“I don’t see why I can’t do that part since I actually am an expert,” Newt grumbled none too quietly.

“--WHOM they have brought to verify the quality of their goods. Harry and I will be monitoring the situation from afar since we are more recognizable than you all.” Graves finished, speaking over Newts interruption.

Fontaine leaned over to Goldstein, whispering loudly in her ear, “Is that just his polite way of saying we’re just nobodies?”

Tina smiled a bit at that but hid it at Graves' pointed look.

“Once the shipment is confirmed, Harry and I will aid you in apprehending the criminals, and once, and only once they are locked up in wards, Newt will come in to tend to the creatures.”

The plan went off without a hitch, it really did, up until Newt noticed something as they were scrying from some monitors that the Unspeakables had gotten set up for them in a van that looked like they were for the electrical and gas company.

“Percival,” Newt said. “Look at that.” He pointed to a part of the monitor, and after a gesture of his hand, the screen zoomed in on the buyer who was eyeing up Tina.

 

_ In the warehouse: _

 

Tina was returning the heated gaze that the creatures smuggler was sending her way while swallowing down the dry heave that threatened to come up her throat. He wasn’t all that attractive, in a brown suit with an ugly paisley tie.

After a moment of the usual chit-chat and verification that was common in these operations, he struck somewhat of a pose, putting a hand in his pocket. This position pulled his coat back a bit, showing a keychain that had a few fiery feathers dangling from it.

 

Back in the van:

 

“Is that what I think?” Harry muttered, sharing a look with Newt.

“What is it?” Graves asked, getting a look at the feathers.

“Phoenix feathers...do you think he may also have a Phoenix under his care?” Newt asked Graves, voice getting a touch derisive at the word care because anything under this man’s care was not getting the best treatment.

“I don’t know,” Graves answered, but pulling out his walkie-talkie that was connected to the earpiece that his Aurors were wearing.

“Goldstein,” Tina heard in her earpiece. She delicately twirled the dangly earrings she was wearing to signal she heard. “He has phoenix feathers on his person, see what you can find out about that.”

“Mr. Dawson,” Tina drawled. “Those feathers on your keychain are exquisite, can I ask what creature they come from?”

“Well Mrs. Geller,” he started, referring to her alias, “this just so happens to be genuine phoenix feathers,” he informed her conspiratorially, pulling out the feathers for her inspection.

Tina didn’t have to pretend to be in awe of the vivid plumage. “How on earth did you get some? Oh, Richard, I must have some phoenix feathers for that garden hat I have,” Tina said to Weiss.

Weiss chuckled, “But darling, we’re already getting a whole tree of Bowtruckles once Harold here verifies the quality of the product.” he told her referring to Fontaine's alias.

“Now, now, I think we can strike a deal here, I am becoming rather fond of your wife here, Mr. Geller, I would have no problem indulging her. Besides, I have the beast at my personal residence ready for plucking.”

Harry heard Newt give a sharp intake of breath, and really that moment was when the whole mission began to go not according to plan. Newt began arguing with Percival, insisting that they get a team assembled to storm the man’s residence.

“Guys, be quiet!” Harry hissed, pointing back to the screens. The shipment of the Bowtruckle tree had arrived. Newt and Percival did quiet down, silently agreeing that the Bowtruckles were the main concern at the moment.

But then they heard this:

“If you’d like Mrs Geller I can have an associate of mine kill the thing so it can be reborn with some more plumage; it’s faster than waiting for it to grow back.”

Tina chuckled nervously. “Oh--I don’t mind the wait at all, after all, I need to get my Bowtruckle tree established and that takes time and--”

“Nonsense I’ll send Albert there now,” he said turning to his closest associate, a man in a deep violet waistcoat and black suit jacket. The man smiled rather sadistically and headed out.

“I’m following him, don’t wait up,” Newt informed them before apparating around the corner where he could follow the man inconspicuously.

“Newt! Dammit. Merlin help that man when he comes back. He is so lucky I love him,” Graves muttered, setting up another screen to scry Newt, who was doing a fantastic job of following that man, Albert.

Harry sighed. “Let’s just go apprehend them already, so you can go chase after your fiance,” Harry said, taking his coat off to allow for better movement when duelling.

Graves froze. “We...haven’t told anyone yet.”

Harry smirked. “The ring was a bit of a tell, mate. Newt doesn’t stop fidgeting with the thing.”

“It’s only just happened,” Graves explained.

“Regale me later, let’s just get these guys in.”

Harry and Graves were very good in the field together. They could cast spells simultaneously without worry of accidentally hitting the other, and while Graves had a more reserved and quick duelling style, Harry was more powerful and every move was so calculated that he didn’t need to be quick, he was sending spells exactly when he needed to. They were an efficient fighting machine.

Harry wasn’t all that surprised that as soon as every smuggler was spelled to be bound by magical chains and apparated to the nearest holding cell that Graves promptly ditched them to aid Newt in search of the phoenix.

“Of course we get stuck with clean up duty,” Fontaine muttered as they dragged the huge crate that had the Bowtruckle tree over to the garage doors that were on the side of the warehouse.

“Should we try to apparate with this thing? I think if we all do it together it should be fine,” Weiss said, patting the box and ignoring the disgruntled squeal of a Bowtruckle that was peeking out at them curiously.

“No, that’s too dangerous,” Harry said, walking over to Weiss’s side, pushing him carelessly away so he wouldn’t lean against the curious Bowtruckle.

“Hey, there,” he said softly, holding his hand out. The creature regarded him and then went willingly into his hand. It climbed his shoulder curiously, surveying the new environment.

“Wow, you’re just as amazing with creatures as Newt is,” Tina exclaimed breathlessly, approaching to get a closer look at the little guy.

“Did someone say my name?” Newt called out from the corridor he and Percival had just walked through. He swung his case happily, and Graves was only holding onto his hand with his normal amount of possessiveness, so Harry assumed all had gone well with the Phoenix retrieval.

“Newt! Did you get the bird?” Weiss asked.

“The phoenix, and yes, she’s doing wonderfully--or, well, as wonderfully a creature in her case could do. Are these the bowtruckles?” He said, eagerly approaching the crate, and tugging Percival along.

Harry chuckled. “Yep, and this little guy was the first one to get curious enough to leave the tree it would seem.”

“Oh, how wonderful! He’s seemed to have imprinted on you, Harry. You know my great-grandfather was imprinted on my a Bowtruckle and he named him Pickett. Maybe we should call him that? It would make for a great story, mate.”

Harry looked down at the creature that was lingering around the collar of his shirt, curiously looking back at him. “Alright.”

It took all night for the bowtruckles tree to get assimilated into the case and more than a few times Harry and Percival were only just barely able to keep the charms that allowed the case to house so much space from collapsing in on them. Harry was absolutely beat by the end of the night, and he didn’t get out of the case until three am, and decided to just crash at Jacob’s bakery since Newt unofficially rented the space above from the muggle, giving him inspiration for his creations. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get his new little friend to leave him alone.

“Pickett, why don’t you sleep in the tree with the other bowtruckles, Harry needs some peace,” Newt tried to reason with the creature, who only shook his head and clung desperately to Harry’s hair. Harry sighed.

“I think he has abandonment issues,” Newt mused, shaking his head at the silly creature.

“It’s fine,” Harry said. “As long as he doesn’t keep me up I don’t care if he sticks around. Mind if I take the couch?”

“Not at all,” Newt said making the temporary bed up for him. Surprisingly it wasn’t difficult to fall asleep with the Bowtruckle on his person. Pickett just clung to his neck, using his shirt collar as a blanket…

 

“Harry! Harry! Wake up, chosen one!” A voice mocked Harry, pulling him out of his dreamless sleep.

“Hermione, I am the chosen one,” Harry mumbled in response.

And just like all those years ago, he was smacked on the arm with a surprising amount of force.

He jerked awake, reaching for his wand, but calming down when he saw it was just Newt. He glanced at the old clock that hung on the wall.

“It’s 9 am? Newt, I’ve only been asleep for barely 6 hours.”

“And I’ve only been asleep for three,” Newt countered, “But this thing keeps going off! I was going to try muffling it with a spell but I know it’s supposed to be for work…” Newt trailed off, shoving him his phone. Harry sat up on the couch, rubbing his eyes and raking his bed head haphazardly. He pressed the home button and the screen lit up to show a multitude of texts from none other than Tony Stark himself.

 

_ Hey, got a free day today, and as promised I am coming over. I’ll be over in 5 _

 

_ It is Sunday, right? _

 

_ Eh, either way, I’m here at your building, let me up, would you? _

 

_ I saw someone leave the building and they were wearing the craziest clothes...are you up? I didn’t think 8:30 would be that early. You know what? I’ll grab some breakfast and let myself up. _

 

Harry’s heart jumped. This...was bad. To say the least. If he tried to let himself up, the wards that protected the building would alert the on-site Obliviator. He glanced up at Newt who didn’t realize what was going on.

“I have to go take care of a certain nuisance.” Newt smiled in amusement in response, before padding off to his bed to crash again.

Harry sighed, pulling on his suit jacket again before tearing it back off, throwing it carelessly over his shoulders and rolling up his sleeves. If he was going to be seeing the energetic billionaire again, he better get comfortable.

Apparating around the corner of his building he strolled casually up to the building, catching sight of Tony who was lingering against the front door, looking like he was fiddling with the door. Harry frowned.

“You do realize it is illegal to break into buildings you don’t own?”

Tony twirled around, dropping the small tool he had been using in an attempt to pry apart the electronic keypad. He caught sight of Harry’s own rumpled clothes and responded,

“I like to bend the rules. Are you doing the Walk of Shame, Potter?” He teased the younger man, picking up a paper box at his feet. Tony had waited for Harry earlier that morning, wanting to catch him off guard, thinking it might ruffle the younger man, and get some proper information.

Harry scoffed, “Again, confusing me for you,” Harry said, leaning somewhat into his space to press the combination in. He held Tony’s eyes, not wanting him to see the little lever that popped out when he pressed the combination, that read ‘Muggle Worthy’. He quickly flicked it and pulling the door open, he gestured for Tony to walk in, who was still giving him a heated look from the close proximity.

Tony glanced in and then did a double take. He figured from the strangely dressed people this would be a rather eccentric building, but instead, it looked fairly plain and normal. There was even a guy behind a counter that looked as old as the building.

“Great place,” Tony commented non-committedly.

“Thanks,” Harry replied absently as he led him towards the elevator. Once inside, Tony gave the man a proper look.

“Late night? Tough case if you couldn’t even go home to shower, because may I just say Potter, you are absolutely rank.” Tony gave him a teasing smile while Harry gave himself a quick sniff only to shrug.

“I had to deal with some animal smugglers yesterday. I spent most of last night helping them relocate the tormented creatures.”

Tony looked at the younger man. He thought he was cute with the bed head, but the fact that he would care so much about animals was a nice plus too. He was a philanthropist after all--well, when Pepper said it would be good for his PR, anyway.

“Animal lover too? You are full of surprises.” Tony taunted a bit.

“You’d be surprised,” Harry said rather ambiguously, which wasn’t good for the older man’s curiosity, oh no he knew that look held more secrets than he could handle not knowing.

Perhaps seduction would be the best course of persuasion? Tony grinned to himself, once the elevator door opened to Harry’s floor. 

Harry led the way, glad that the floors muggle wards had worked, they were fairly experimental and Wizards in America were getting more exploratory with the mixing of technology and magic which was a huge step that for some reason the British wizard community was still hesitant on.

Unlocking the door, Harry could feel the heat of Tony’s gaze on his back, and for whatever reason he felt the need to keep him in his line of sight, offering him entry first. 

Tony obliged with a mildly amused smile, mind going to the same place. He took in the room and was also taken aback by the style of it. Unlike his own homes where everything was metal, glass and white tile, this place was warm wood, and homey greens and browns. The apartment opened into the kitchen area first, so he set down the donuts and whirled around to face Harry who was dropping his keys in the tray. Brushing a hand through his bed head, Harry regarded his guest.

“I was told there was breakfast?” He said, nodding to the paper box. Tony looked back at the box before pulling out a jelly donut.

“Only the most nutritious,” He said, taking a bite. 

Harry raised an eyebrow but approached to get one. As he was reaching around Tony to get a donut, Tony lashed his arm out to close the box, pushing it further up the island counter and out of reach from Harry, who was now in his space.

“Ah, there’s a catch.”

“Should have known,” Harry replied, thoroughly amused.

“You can have a delicious jelly donut, but…” Harry waited, expecting the man to demand more answers for the Roche case.

“...you have to let me feed you. However I want.” Harry wanted to laugh, how cliche!...But then again he had never tried that before. Hmmm…

“Alright.” Tony was startled and delighted simultaneously. He had thought the younger man would have refused and he would have resorted to dirty tactics like getting his clothes ‘accidentally’ dirty and doing a quick strip in the kitchen. But this was a good start, so he started easy, not wanting to scare him off. But at least he at least looked up for the game.

Harry was a little apprehensive as Tony reached back to grab a fresh donut for Harry to try, and offered it to him using his hands. Harry raised an eyebrow again, thoughts flitting back to Ginny, but immediately pushing those thoughts away. He opened his mouth when Tony brought it up for him to taste and he took a little bite. It was powdered so his mouth looked a mess.

He was bringing his hand up to wipe it, but Tony stopped him, leaning in saying, “Let me,” before proceeding to lick it off his mouth. Harry froze up a bit, not quite expecting that, but letting the other man do as he wished. 

Tony leaned back after he was done, sighing saying, “Well, it’s all gone,” a bit regretfully Harry thought, watching him reach back to grab another one. His mind was a bit of a daze, but making up his mind he grabbed Tony’s shoulder and pulled him back to face him so that he could ambush him with his own lips, the kiss tasting sweet from the donuts.

Tony let out a sound in surprise, but quickly got with the program, pleased it didn’t take much to convince the other man. His hand relocated to Harry’s waist and neck, and Harry mirrored him. Tony moved them so he could push him against the island counter, pressing his hips in such a way that had Harry groaning into his mouth quietly, then taking control of the kiss, leading him to his room, pushing him onto his bed so hard the bed’s headboard bounced against the wall when Tony’s full weight hit it.

Tony looked shocked up at him saying, “Do you really think I’m that type of man, mister?”

Harry pushed Tony back down as he sat up in mock protest. He could see the smirk the inventor was fighting, so he knew he was just kidding.

“Oh, shut it, this was your plan all along,” Harry muttered, yanking the T-shirt Tony had on aside a bit so he could give his neck some attention. He figured he was doing a good job if the man shut up to groan quietly instead. 

Harry decided to figure out what it would take the filterless man to be quiet for a bit and found he wasn’t able to say much either as his mouth was rather busy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This last part of the chapter is also why the update is late because I kept antagonizing over how graphic I could write, and when I did write this I was in public, so omg, that was an experience, but now it's done, maybe later in other chapters it'll get explicit ugh but man that stuff is hard to write. Or maybe I'm just awkward haha.


	8. Poor Pickett

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's sex in this one. Single most effective way to gain readership.
> 
> But really, there is.

Tony couldn’t pat himself on the back enough, really, this went better than he could have hoped. After seducing the younger man and being roughly tossed on the bed (he obviously deserved that for being an ass) he was surprised to see the enthusiasm not fizzle out to become shyness once the clothes had come off as he had expected, but to see it increase.

Harry first ripped off his own button down, throwing it carelessly onto an armchair near the bed, pulling Tony’s t-shirt off to follow. Tony decided to make a flip while the other man was falling over a bit trying to shove his suit pants down, then Tony’s. Finally just man to man in their boxer briefs they fell into an easy back and forth, giving and taking as they kissed and kissed and kissed until Harry shoved Tony away enough to speak, hair in disarray even more than before:

“If you don’t do something I’ll kill you.”

Tony grinned a bit, moving down to his neck and letting his hands work lower down, slipping inside his boxers. When they reached his goal, the hiss that he received for his cold hands, followed by the deep moan when he began working Harry over and over was his reward.

Harry bit back the lewd moans threatening to spill out and groaned roughly instead. He hadn’t expected the cold hands, but he needed something or he would have exploded from the kissing alone. Never in a million years would he have thought he was into both men and women, but rather than fall into a sexual crisis he let himself have this moment and all the heated ones that followed as Tony slipped his boxers off and took him in his mouth.

Tony groaned into his work and they echoed back to him and when it was his turn he was surprised at the skill of someone who had likely never done this before.

Panting after he lay beside the younger man and rolled onto his side to grin at him.

“I can’t believe you swallowed.”

Harry looked at him sideways, and calmly said, “I’m too lazy to clean up the mess anyway.”

Tony burst out laughing and tugging on his hip, pulled Harry underneath him, whispering in his ear, “Shower?”

“Probably for the best. Now we both smell rank, mate.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “I meant, do you want to continue this in the shower?”

Harry glanced up at him, considering, then nodded. Tony smiled and jumped up, walking into the ensuite. “Hey, grab my phone, will you? It’s in my pants.”

Harry rolled his eyes but reached over to the chair where their clothes had been carelessly tossed.

Reaching over to tug his shirt off the top of the pile, Harry flinched as his now wrinkled button-down came away to reveal poor Pickett cowering in shock underneath. He had forgotten the poor creature had been sleeping in his shirt!

“Oh Pickett,” he groaned remorsefully. “I am so sorry you had to see that.” The creature seemed to understand him and whimpered as if traumatized. He quickly scooped up the bowtruckle and threw open his bedroom window, setting him in the planter that was nailed underneath the sill.

“This is only until he leaves then I will take you back to Newt, I promise!...I’m so sorry—“ Harry muttered again as he stepped back from the window.

“Sorry? For what? Granted you are taking forever…” Tony said, walking back into the bedroom, shamelessness and naked. He went over to Harry who quickly shut the window.

“Nothing, I just needed some air,” Harry said, laughing a bit at his own expense, trying to ease himself and forget about the poor creature he and Tony just traumatized.

“Hmph. Phone?”

“Ah, yes,” Harry said snapping to attention and handing the man his phone. Tony took it gratefully and scanned through his texts while padding back to the bathroom.

Harry sighed in relief and followed him. He stopped at the mess on the floor.

“Why does it look like my medicine cabinet threw up?”

“I couldn’t find any supplies,” Tony explained, chagrined.

Harry smirked a bit and pulled Tony close by the hips. “Why don’t you get started in the shower and I will grab the supplies, eh?”

If Tony wasn’t interested before, he was now. “Wonderful idea.”

  
  


***

“You poor, poor, thing. Mummy will take care of you, Pickett.”

Graves was still guffawing and Newt shot him a look.

“Dear, you have to admit it’s a little funny.” Graves implored his fiancé.

“My only concern is for the creature,” he insisted, but as he turned to set Pickett on the Bowtruckle tree, Harry could hear a badly concealed snort.

“Alright, alright I get it, Harry is a stupid oaf who can’t think with his head,” Harry said, embarrassed enough as it was.

“Was it at least good sex?”

“Percy!”

“What?” Percival said, not guilty of his crude question.

“It’s fine Newt. It was…” His thoughts trailed to the morning's events in his shower that he wouldn’t be able to properly use for a while, if at all.

“That good huh? Guess Stark lives up to the playboy title after all. It would be a shame if someone like that was your soulmate, Harry.”

“Percival!” Newt looked scandalized.

“It’s okay Newt,” Harry reassured his friend. “I don’t think he’s my soulmate, but the man is the personification of sex, let me tell you that much.”

The couple shared a smile with him and then looked at each other.

“What?”

“It’s just good to see you have fun with someone, mate. We were all wondering if you planned to be celibate until you met your soulmate—which isn’t a bad thing, but we worry.”

Harry felt a tad touched at the sentiment and smiled in thanks to his friends.

 

***

 

“My place, 8pm, Saturday night.”

Harry smiled wryly. He would often receive calls or texts like this, Tony inviting him over spontaneously for a casual hook up, no questions asked. He himself so far had yet to initiate a meeting, but he chalked it up to the unpredictability of his job.

Tightening his sweater against the early chill of autumn as he walked into the precinct, he replied, “I can’t Saturday. There’s a particularly...vexing, case we’re working on.”

“Ooh, can I be of service?”

Harry winced. It was two months into their casual relationship—arrangement?—and he had yet to tell Tony his secret. It seemed like every time he felt like he could say something as they lay afterwards, Tony would rush out, claiming work. And he never had a chance beforehand, getting badgered and prodded with words as if they were the only type of clever foreplay Tony knew how to do.

“You know I can’t discuss cases with you.” Also, it would be rather hard to casually explain the current case of some robberies in places that technically didn’t exist.

“It was worth a shot. You still refuse to tell me your tragic backstory,” Tony joked. Oh, if he only knew. And Harry knew he was joking simply because commitment was clearly an issue with the man— he couldn’t even stick around long enough for Harry to tell his secret, let alone Deaths prophecy!

“Somehow, I think you’re ok with that.”

Tony huffed, getting caught. “I care, I mean we’re friends, right?”

Harry stopped as he reached the entrance to Macusa, seriously considering it. He was silent as he took his turn going in through the toilet transport system. He waited until he was safely locked inside before answering, “Are we?”

Tony also stopped, currently tinkering in his lab as he called the man. “Well, yeah. We hang out at least once a week.”

“Tony, somehow I doubt that most friends hang out like we do.”

Tony smirked a little at that, “Alright, then friends with benefits.”

Harry nodded, “Yeah, sounds about right.”

“Do you not have other friends? Oh god, don’t tell me I’m your only friend. Work friends don’t count!”

“Tony, you are not my only friend outside of work. And I see my coworkers outside of work so they do count.”

“Right,” Tony said awkwardly as he twiddled with a screwdriver, “but am I your only friend?” He asked with some emphasis.

“Oh, well when you put it like that, yes.”

“Ah…”

“Look Stark, don’t let your ego too big. My work keeps me busy and I honestly have no time to be seeking out friends, so in a way, I’m using you.”

Tony looked at the phone he had lying on his workbench that was on speaker, raising an eyebrow at it in offense. But before he could make a witty retort—

“Anyway, things to do, people to save. See you later!” The line clicked.

Tony couldn’t help but smile.

 

***

 

“So these friends,” Tony began.

“Can you not stay quiet for more than five seconds? I’m catching my breath here,” Harry said, lying on his back next to Tony, loose-limbed and satiated.

“And here I thought I was the older one,” Tony smirked. Harry rolled his eyes.

“Technically you’re only a decade older than I am,” Harry pointed out.

“Anyway. These friends of yours...when can I meet them?”

Harry froze...That sounded vaguely like a relationship thing in his mind, so he replied,

“What.”

Tony rolled over on his side to get a better look at Harry, saying “Fairs, fair, I mean you already met Pepper and Happy.”

“First of all, Happy is your driver; he had no choice in the matter. And second of all, Pepper walking in on us earlier does not count as a meeting.”

It was the most humiliating event that Harry had ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Tony, had been on top of Harry who was on his stomach, both men in the throes of pleasure and whatever, when—

“Tony, I have the plans Obie drew up—oh my god, close the door!” Pepper said covering her eyes instead of leaving like Harry wished she would. Instead of sending her on her way, Tony began to complain, “Pep, kind of in the middle of something—“

“I can see that, unfortunately. I’ll be in the office.” And with that, she finally left.

Harry, being stuck underneath Tony the whole time, was only glad that from the angle he was at, Pepper couldn’t see any of the goodies if you know what that means.

It took a bit of coaxing from Tony towards a mortified Harry, but eventually, they got with the program as soon as the redhead was gone.

 

“Fine, you can meet her now. Jarvis, is Ms. Potts still here?”

“Yes, sir. Ms. Potts is currently working in the office. She requested I notify you once you were indisposed that she needs your approval for several documents that Mr. Stane has outlined.”

“Perfect. Shall we?” He turned to Harry.

Harry sighed, following his friend to the office. Once he threw on his clothes of course...Tony just put a robe on.

“Pepper Potts, you must be Harry,” Pepper said once she saw Harry enter the office after Tony.

“You’ve made quite the impression on Tony,” Pepper said, hinting that Tony had also told her the little information that he was able to dig up on Harry.

“Well, glad to see my reputation still precedes me.”

Pepper and Tony shared a glance at the ‘still’. Pepper herself had gained some curiosity as to who this man was, especially since he seemed to baffle her boss, who she hated to admit, was a genius.

“You work for the NYPD’s elite task force correct?”

“Yes,” Harry answered, wondering why she was asking questions she clearly knew the answer to. The Unspeakables had whole division dedicated to the forging of documents so he could keep pretending to work for the NYPD. This was public record, after all.

“My brother also works for the elite task force, perhaps you know him?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This made me laugh to write. Sorry this is so late guys, but--School. Need I say more? It'll get better after May, pinky promise:)


	9. And the truth comes out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony FINALLY learns about magic and stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear lovely readers. You have no idea how sorry I am that I couldn’t update the story until now :( So here’s the sitch: I had to take a break for finals (you know how that is) and right before my finals week, I was unfortunately in a car accident. I’m perfectly fine and my car has been repaired but even now I am dealing with stupid insurance legal stuff because the old lady I got into the accident with is claiming that she was injured and had to seek treatment. (That old lady was perfectly fine, she didn’t even want me to call the cops-which i did anyway, but they couldn’t do anything because it was in a privately owned parking lot.) In addition to that, I recently went to the mechanic to replace my tire pressure sensor lights and found out I need new brakes on top of it all. So as you can see I have been drowning in a money pit and have needed to work a lot to pay for everything, which is adding up to almost a thousand dollars in total. I hope this update makes up for it and I will try to write as much as possible before I get my wisdom teeth removed next month lol

“My brother also works for the elite task force, perhaps you know him?” Pepper said, a bit smug at the frozen look that adorned Harry’s face.

“...Is that so?” Harry questioned, unsure by Pepper Potts sheer confidence in her announcement.

“Yes, his name is Charles Fischer, we have different fathers so we don’t share a last name.”

Fischer? Harry recalled the man vaguely, could this even be possible? He looked at Pepper Potts and weighed the possibility she was either bluffing or telling the truth. From her confident stance and steady gaze, well, if she was bluffing she was damn good at it.

He didn’t have much to go on for Fischer either. They tended to have him scheduled during beta team patrols and get lower priority cases.

“I’m afraid we tend to be assigned to different cases. He’s your brother?”

“Yes,” Pepper confirmed.

“Hm, then you know about everything.”

Pepper didn’t say anything but returned his gaze evenly.

“I do.” She said finally. Harry raised a brow, weighing her response.

“I have to, him being my brother. After all, there are no secrets between family that the law can stop.”

Harry met her eyes again, and weighed her words. Stupidly, he decided to go on an ill-founded hunch.

“Thank Merlin,” he said with relief, tension running out of his shoulders. “I was worried I would be the only one to tell him.” He said motioning towards Tony

“Uh, tell him what exactly?” Tony broke in, catching on to his PA’s tactics.

“The President has given me permission to break the Statute of Secrecy,” Harry informed Pepper, ignoring Tony.

“The president,” Pepper repeated, incredulous.

“I know how it sounds, but this is something for the greater good. I assume you know about the first time the british ministry issued a prophecy--and the aftermath of that.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the hell are you going on about, Potter? President's and statutes and prophecies? Pepper I think he’s onto us, you’re a shit actor,” Tony said, looking at Pepper in mock disapproval.

“Dammit,” Pepper muttered. “All that research for nothing.”

Harry blinked, realizing that they had attempted to play him. He had figured as much, but a part of him had hoped it could be that easy if Tony already had someone who knew.

Ah well, time to jump into it. He had already started, may as well finish, eh?

“So, you don’t know. This is going to make it harder then. Can I show you something?”

Tony looked at him calculating, not sure if Harry was still messing with them. 

“What?”

 

***

 

“You’re kidding me right?” Tony said, eyeballing the literal wand Harry pulled out of nowhere—like seriously, where did he keep that thing?

“I wish I was, mate. But I’m serious… and so was Cassandra Roche.” And with that he flicked his wand, letting out a quiet Patronus under his breath, while gauging Tony and Peppers reaction. Pepper covered her mouth in awe, eyes tracking the luminous buck as it galloped about the room. Tony was more restrained, only letting out a held breath when the buck trotted up to him and gave him a bow before dissolving into mist.

Tony was silent was silent before snapping his fingers, “...Jarvis, analysis?”

“...It appears to be an unknown energy source based on my scans, Sir.”

“Hologram?”

“No, not possible sir.”

Tony looked at Harry and raised his hand making a vague gesture as he struggled to put words to what he was trying to say.

“...So... _ Magic?” _

Harry sighed, “Yup, magic.”

Tony nodded as this confirmed his thoughts, and gestured again in that vague way, “Can you tell me how, exactly?”

“I’m a wizard.”

“A wizard. You hear that Pep, he’s a goddamn wizard!” Tony said turning to Pepper who was just watching them. She winced a little at his over dramatics, but she knew he was just a little hurt.

“So what else can you do? Pull a rabbit out of thin air, perhaps some flowers or something.”

“Tony,” Pepper quietly interrupted, “That...that’s a magician. Not a wizard.”

“Really, well I wouldn’t know because I’ve only just met a wizard who happens to be one of the few people I’ve decided to let close to me and four months later he decides to break the news that’s he’s a magical fucking creature that isn’t just a story for kids and breaks all the rules of modern science?!”

“Tony I—“

“Sir, Mr. Stane is here, should I send him away?” Jarvis broke in.

Tony wiped his face.  “No. Let him in. We need to talk about the Jericho project anyway.” He looked up at Harry, who was still frozen mid-apology. “We can discuss this after; you aren’t going to poof away or curse me or whatever, right?”

Harry rolled his eyes. “No, Tony.”

“Good. I’ll be back soon. Pepper, you can keep our wizard company—I’m sure there’s loads more he’s been keeping.” Tony said rather bitterly.

With that, he swept up the stairs from the lab to meet Obadiah.

Harry felt as if his gut had been torn up by a hungry hippogriff. He wiped his face and pulled his phone out to text Percival,  _ It’s done. Hopefully the rest will come easier. _

Moments later, he replied,  _ Good luck, Potter _ .

He looked up to regard Pepper who was still looking at him in poorly concealed awe, clutching her tablet to her chest. Hesitantly, as if she were afraid of setting him off she asked,

“...Can you show me more?”

 

***

And that was how Tony found his no-nonsense assistant  _ giggling  _ in delight as Harry switched his hair colors back and forth in a flurry of rainbow colors, before landing on a slime green. Harry was laughing as well, a sound that Tony knew well. As he stood outside the room, Tony took a moment to reflect on the past few months that he spent with the younger man--the wizard. Tony didn’t understand--how he could’ve gone so long without some inkling?

He had worried the younger man was beginning to catch feelings and give him a look that to Tony, screamed the three words he was terrified of hearing. But in reality, the younger man had apparently been working up the nerve to tell him the biggest bombshell of the century.

He watched him now, somehow equally fond and incredulous as he narrowed in on the lime green hair that replaced the raven locks he had become accustomed to running his fingers through lazily. Slowly passing through the glass doors to the workshop he caught the last snippet of their conversation:

“—that’s amazing! How did you learn to do that?” Pepper asked in awe.

Harry chuckled. “I have a godson who can do the same. He gets it from his mother, she—” Harry broke off suddenly. 

“What is it?” Pepper asked carefully.

“She… passed away. As did his father.”

“I’m so sorry.” Pepper said genuinely, placing a hand on his arm.

“Me too,” Tony broke in, stepping out where they could see him. “I think you and I know a little something about loss. It’s always terrible to hear another child face the same thing.”

Harry smiled softly. “I take it you aren’t angry anymore?”

“Angry? I don’t think I could be.”

Harry looked grateful. “Thank you, I was scared to lose you as a friend, for a moment there.”

Tony smiled and took a seat with them at the workbench. Leaning against the table, he said, “So, what’s your story Potter?”

And Harry told him.

Afterwards, Tony didn’t say much, rubbing his chin as he leaned back into his chair. The three of them, Tony, Pepper and Harry were gathered in the living area of his Malibu house. Tony had flown Harry over the day before Harry had finally spilled the beans on his secret.

Finally Tony sighed. “And I thought  _ I _ had a shit childhood.”

He regarded Harry, his left eye twitching. “I know we just had emotional step in our friendship, but...I can’t take you that seriously with your hair like that.”

Harry frowned. “Like what?”

Tony motioned to his head and Harry looked in the reflection off the glass coffee table. He had forgotten that his hair was still green. Oh, well.

Pepper snorted into her hand also just realizing that the wizards hair was still green. After the laughter died down, Tony looked pensive at Harry.

“Harry, I consider you a good friend--”

“ _ Very _ good.” Pepper muttered and Harry chuckled a little in response.

“A very good friend, but I don’t understand why you would trust me with all of this. Unless...there’s more?”

Harry let out a deep breath. He expected the genius would catch on. But he hated to be the bearer of bad news.

“Do remember the story I told you? About the three brothers?”

“And the Master of Death. You could have been The Master of Death if you wanted to, like how insane would that be? To think, a rock, a stick and a piece of cloth could be so powerful…”

“Tony. I am the Master of Death.”

Tony looked up at him in confusion.

“But I thought you threw away the elder wand and the stone? Oh, and you  _ have _ to let me examine the cloak one day--please?”

“ _ Tony _ .” Pepper chided him.

“Alright alright, finish.”

“As I began to move on from the war and live my life finally, strange things would happen. The hallows kept appearing in dreams, then finally in real life. I tried over and over to dispose of them, but they wouldn’t leave me alone. Until almost a year and a half ago. I was confronted by Death.”

“You almost died?!”

“No, I met Death himself. I was with Ron and Hermione, alone in my apartment. He told me he had a quest for me that I couldn’t refuse. Literally. He’s blackmailing me with something completely in his realm of power. I found that after gathering the Hallows and unknowingly taking on the mantle of Master of Death, I stopped aging.”

“I knew it wasn’t just good genes!” Tony said gleefully. “And I thought it was just a wizard thing.”

“Well, wizards do have good longevity, but they also die of old age. Death is preventing me from aging because he wants to keep me at my strongest for what’s coming.”

“What’s coming?” Tony asked tensely.

“He prophesied the rise of heroes, earth's mightiest heroes. And he said that my job was to guide them, and eventually fight alongside them against a battle that the whole universe would feel.”

“And Death just expected you to be his pawn in all of this?”

“...Tony, he told me, promised me that if I didn’t take on his quest, he would make sure I would never see my lost loved ones again. I would stay young and watch everyone I love die, never to reunite with them on the other side…”

Tony was silent, shocked at this revelation, but before he could say anything Harry continued on.

“He also promised me that if I took on his quest, I would meet my soulmate, as a reward.”

“Your...soulmate?” Pepper broke in hesitantly.

“I know, it sounds ridiculous saying it out loud, but in the wizard community things like that are rare. I have only ever heard of two people in my life meeting their soulmate…”

“But how do you  _ know _ ?” Pepper asked.

“Well, for wizards it can be revealed when your patronus changes to match the other person in some way. Mine was that buck. Patronus’ are created from the happiest memories and its takes powerful magic to alter the manifestation of the patronus. Love and soulmates are very rare and powerful magic.”

Tony was silent as he listened to Harry explain this.

“So if you do the quest, you get rewarded. If you don’t, you suffer. Death seems like a friendly guy.” Tony muttered finally.

Harry turned back to his friend. He still had to tell him about the other thing…

Tony interrupted his thoughts. “So how are you even supposed to find these ‘heros’ anyway? Like is there a beacon or magical trail you need to follow?”

Harry grimaced. Here goes. “Actually, Death pointed me in the direction of the first hero. He told me once I found this hero, he would lead me to the others.”

Tony and Pepper waited for him to divulge the first heroes identity. And waited. Until Harry finally gave them both a meaningful look and nodded at Tony.

The look of simultaneous surprise that came over their faces was priceless. Pepper began scoffing involuntarily, unable to hold back the comment, “Tony? A hero?” Before she caught the scathing look on his face and turned back to Harry before she said anything else.

“Harry, I’m no hero...I sell weapons--”

“To save lives in the military. Serving your country any way you can _is_ heroic, Tony.”

Harry was vehement in his statement, which made Tony vehemently shut up, not wanting to anger a wizard of all people. Harry sighed, seeing the look on his face.

“The life of a hero isn’t all noble glamour as the stories would have you think. I spent my adolescence trying to be a hero...there were many trials and tribulations to undergo...now that I know you, I feel that Death was cruel to yank someone as wonderful as you down a painful path that I know too well.”

Tony looked touched at the sentiment, and the two men shared a heated look, full of something neither could truly identify. Peppers awkward cough dispelled the moment.

“So...do you have any plans for your first thanksgiving, Harry?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah the timeline is a bit ambiguous, but for all curious, it is almost thankgiving, hope this makes up for being absent--sorry :(  
> I feel like this was poorly written in some parts, so apologies for that as well--I've been a liiiiiiiiiitttle busy haha--so tired :(


	10. Harry's First Turkey Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's got a lot to be thankful for...

The weeks leading up to Harry’s first Thanksgiving were full of endless questions from his rather genius friend--who did, in fact, end up examining the cloak, much to Tony’s delight.

“This is impossible.”

“No way--NO WAY.”

“But... _ physics _ …”

“You have completely destroyed the first law of Thermodynamics.”

“This doesn’t make any se--of course. Of  _ course _ , you can do that too.”

Many other similar comments were becoming a part of every time Harry and Tony found time to get together. Tony always demanded Harry show him something new, and for a while it really was like how best friends should behave--there was even a distinct lack of intimacy in the bedroom for a while. Until Harry decided he was done with that.

They had flown back to Malibu for the weekend so that Tony could properly study (see: so Harry could properly show  _ off _ ) when Harry had claimed he was too jet-lagged from the flight to do anything really cool.

Tony looked disappointed but agreed to wait until tomorrow. But as he turned away, Harry stopped him, pulling him into a kiss, hands running down from his shoulders to place firmly on his hips, just so his intentions were clear as he began walking backwards into a conveniently placed bedroom.

“I thought you were ‘too tired’,” Tony smirked.

“Not for this,” Harry weakly retorted as they slammed the door shut behind them.

 

The next morning Harry woke up alone, which was to be expected, but annoyed him that his warm pillow had left him in the cold bed sheets.

Harry wandered through Tony’s home, walking in no hurry, room to room in search of the man in question. He stopped in the kitchen first however, to pop a handful of blueberries into his mouth, before deciding to heck with it and taking the whole bowl with him.

“Tony?” he called awkwardly into the house.

“Mister Potter, if I may be of assistance, Mr. Stark is currently down in his workshop. And perhaps you should hurry...something unprecedented of the magical nature has occurred.” JARVIS informed the wizard. Harry wasted no time before apparating into the workshop, head turning in search of the genius.

Tony snapped his head up to look at Harry, who searched the man for any type of injury before sliding his gaze unto the table, which had previously held the inventors attention.

Harry nearly groaned in defeat. Once again, the Hallows had made their presence known. 

“I-I was just going to scan the cloak again, y-you know just using a new algorithm I had come up with, but when I picked it up, they just appeared!” Tony shakily explained. “And I  _ know  _ that they weren’t there before, because I set the cloak there and I wanted to make sure it was just magic and not me going crazy--but that sounds crazy anyway doesn’t it--?!”

Harry cut him off, grabbing him by the shoulders with force, and shaking him twice for good measure. He did a few breaths with him until the man calmed down. Until this moment, Tony had not experienced magic outside of Harry, so when Harry wasn’t around it was easy to forget it existed.

“Are you okay?”

Tony wiped his face and blinked a few times before glancing back at the sacred objects. “...Yeah. I’m good now.”

Harry sighed in relief. He couldn’t handle dealing with a genius that lost it--those were the worst kind in his experience.

“Blueberry?” He offered kindly, holding out his hand that was still full of fruit. Tony gratefully took a few, chewing thoughtfully as he slumped down into a chair.

“So, explain this to me again? Because this doesn’t make any sense to me, how the hell are we supposed to find these heroes, Harry?”

Harry sighed. “Death told me--”

“Yes, I get it, Death told you this, Death told you that, but why hasn’t Death told  _ me  _ anything when  _ I’m _ supposed to be the one who leads you to the others?”

 

_ Death speaks to those who ask...and those who do not.  _ Death’s eerie voice rang through the workshop, the lights dimming, all systems including Jarvis stopping temporarily.

Tony froze, dumbstruck. “What the h--”

_ Anthony Edward Stark, son of Howard Stark and Maria Stark. You also have my Mark. _

“Are you saying it’s your fault….that my parents--”

_ It is my ancient and sacred duty to deliver souls from one life to the next. I have little need or cause to interfere with Fate’s design...until now. You seek answers to questions you do not yet realize are the least important. I have Fate’s loyalty, and she will bring those heroes to your side. She understands the calamity of her prophecy. _

“Great, so we have another entity pushing us into this whole mess.”

Harry sent Tony a warning look, the other man not showing the proper respect to an Ancient like Death.

But Death just chuckled, amused with the older man’s gall.  _ I knew I chose correctly. You have much to learn and much pain to endure, but you are the light made to endure the final battle...and what comes next. _

“You keep talking in riddles about final battles and yet I have no inkling what to expect, how to prepare--do you  _ want _ us to succeed?”

_ Mr. Stark, I know you will succeed. You have to. _

“You sound desperate,” Harry noted.

Death sighed.  _ Even one as ancient and powerful as I am falls under the rule of someone greater than myself.  _

“And who would that be?” Tony asked tentatively.

_ Time. Time gives meaning to us all. And Time does not approve of his wife’s meddling--but my mother Fate has enlisted my help and I will do what I can to protect my power, and those under my realm. _

“So this is about you. Just like the stories of the ancient Greeks, the gods sending the heroes to do their dirty laundry.”

_ Do you denounce the path I have set you upon?  _

“Do I have a choice?” Tony muttered.

_ Always. _

In another life, perhaps Tony would have given Death a big FU via a little birdie (and not an owl for the sweet innocent ones thinking so), but in this one, he couldn’t. He looked at Harry and remembered what was at stake for him, hell maybe even felt a bit jealousy for what was being offered, but he just couldn’t. Harry was the first person in a long time he felt he could relate to: they both shared a tragic backstory sadly enough, and were both rich, powerful men who had struggled with being in the limelight. 

Granted, where Tony had embraced it and Harry had shied away, they were both a rarity in both of their worlds. Strangely enough, he could think of Harry as a brother in a way...Maybe it was that they were friends first, lovers second. It didn’t feel like any betrayal to know that somewhere out there was someone meant to sweep his friend off his feet, and they would have to end the level of intimacy they were used to. It felt like they were exactly as they were supposed to be...but maybe that was all part of Fates design or something...

“No, I do not denounce it. I accept the path and everything that comes with it. So long as Harry gets what he was promised.” Tony said, looking at Harry when he said that. Harry looked at him gratefully, nodding his way.

Death chuckled.  _ There is much potential for you, even now. A warning for what comes next...beware the desert, for in it lies the darkness that hides behind the light… _

 

Slowly the lights came on, the room became warmer, and machines began whirring as they previously did.

Tony risked a look at Harry who was staring off in the distance. 

“So. That was Death…” Tony trailed off.

“Yeah,” Harry replied quietly. He turned toward the genius.

“Can I make a request for our first Thanksgiving?”

Tony quirked his brow. “And that would be?”

Harry smirked, “We have it at my place. And Queenie and Jacob are in charge of the food...ok?”

Tony smiled. “Only if I can invite Pepper and Happy.”

“Of course.”

Thanksgiving was quite the affair in the Potter household. Queenie and Jacob arrived before Harry was even awake, Jacob managing to pick the lock after failed spell after spell from Queenie was too weak to unlock it.

He nearly blasted them with the elder wand when he woke to banging in his kitchen as they prepared the kitchen. And they spent most of the morning not even actually cooking, just politely pointing out the unkemptness of Harry’s bachelor pad, which was their way of telling him to clean while they got the kitchen ready with the premium ingredients they had bought the day before.

“Oh honey, how about I do the meal, and you focus on the deserts, you are better at them,” Queenie said as waved her wand around and directed the plates and napkins to be arranged on the table, following that were random ingredients like potatoes and celery rolling around on the counter into neat little stacks. Even a magically cooked dinner took time as it required the magical ingredient of love, Queenie joked, although based on how delicious the food was, Harry could hardly disagree. 

Newt arrived later in the day, having nothing else to really do since his job and creatures were all taken care of--he worked at the magical zoo inside the zoo in central park, which was good for him to educate on magical beasts and nurse the hurt ones he found back into health. Currently, the zoo was closed for ward and expansion charm maintenance.

Percival and Tina arrived together, having gotten off work approximately the same time. “Percy!” Newt called when he saw his fiance arrive at the doorstep. “You have to taste this pumpkin pie--and look! It’s baked to have the phoenix Lucy on it!”

“Jacob, you’ve outdone yourself,” Percival complimented the muggle, to which Jacob graciously smiled.

“So, Harry. When is your boyfriend going to show up?” Tina asked, smirking a little.

He chuckled. “He’s not my boyfriend, Tina. We are just friends.”

Tina looked like she was going to make a smart remark about it, but Queenie broke in, “He’s right Tina, they are just friends. The best.” And she sent him a whimsical smile that made him think of Luna.

“Alright, we get that, but is he comin’?” Graves asked, a bit of his New York accent slipping in.

Harry laughed. “It’s still early. And he was picking up Pepper and Happy.”

“Pepper and Happy,” Percival scoffed. “What ridiculous names.”

“And Percival and Newt are so normal?” Jacob remarked from across the table.

Everyone laughed at that and were promptly interrupted by the doorbell.

***

Tony had hardly ever spent a ‘proper’ Thanksgiving since before his parents died, if one could call the distant affairs only lightened by his mother's presence proper. He was a bit nervous to have his first ‘official’ meet-the-friends situation, as he had already had brief encounters with all of Harry’s friends and vice versa--but it was a still a first impressions sort of affair.

Pulling up to pick Pepper up from Stark industries, Tony smiled at his friend, who looked lovely in a simple cream dress that was suited more for the fall weather. She looked cozy in her brown wool shawl.

“Tony! Nervous?” Pepper asked as she slid into the backseat with Tony.

Tony scoffed. “Nervous for what?”

“Oh he’s nervous,” Happy said smartly from the driver's seat.

Tony kicked the seat, and Happy grunted, before shutting up.

The drive was relatively quiet, filled mostly with Happy’s curious questions about the magic that they would probably encounter inside the wizards apartment. Tony had already introduced Happy to Harry’s magical status weeks prior, and while Happy wasn’t necessarily as accepting (more like panicked) in the beginning, he got over it and was more than happy (pun intended) to join them all on Thanksgiving.

Tony hesitated from ringing the buzzer when they arrived, pretending to brush something off his cashmere scarf, before Pepper reached around him and pushed the buzzer herself.

The door swung open while Tony had turned to glare at Pepper, and the party of three was met with the oddest of sights: A small creature with pointy ears, wearing a suit.

“You, Stark?” The creature asked gruffly. 

Tony cleared his throat, before nodding. The creature waved them to follow him, leading them down the corridor to the elevator. Once inside, the creature barely gave them a glance as he pressed the button to shut the door.

“Hold on for a sec,” was all the warning the friends got before they were thrust upwards, then sideways, then back down and finally halted. Groggily, Tony didn’t remember the first trip being like this at all, but the place they had just walked through looked significantly more... _ magic _ . Harry probably had something to do with that.

“Thanks,” Tony managed before tugging a nauseous Happy and dizzy Pepper alongside him as he got the heck out of the elevator.

***

And that was why when Harry answered the door, he was met with a rather rumpled group of guests.

“You made it!” He said innocently, but Tony gave him a look.

“Potter, you owe me. And Pepper, and Happy. But mostly me.”

“Whatever you say, Stark. Let’s eat!”

It was rather a sweet affair, and one of the best times that Tony had in a while. Pepper and Happy could see that as they ate some sweet potato pie by the fireplace, watching their boss sip some hot cocoa on the balcony off the modest apartment. Harry joined him shortly with his own mug and a cookie that Tony smiled while breaking a piece off for himself.

“Best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had. Good for a first Thanksgiving right?”

Harry grinned. “Oh, definitely.”

“How does Christmas in Malibu sound?”

Harry’s grin lessened. “Actually, I promised my friends and family in England I would return for Christmas...I hope you don’t mind?”

Tony smiled. “Of course not, just hoping to keep spending the holidays with you, but I should’ve realized I was hogging you,” Tony said before stuffing his mouth with the cookie before he kept going on.

Harry frowned. The tone of Tony’s voice was a tad suspect, but he didn’t want to press when they just had such a wonderful evening. Then he had an idea.

“Why don’t you just ditch whatever charity thing you were going to drag me to anyway, and just go to England with me? Then we can spend Christmas and New Years together.”

Tony blinked at the suggestion, and was going to refuse-really he was, okay?- but when he caught a glance of Harry’s hopeful expression, he suppressed whatever self-doubt he was beginning to have and just pulled the younger man closer to kiss him with surprising tenderness.

“Alright,” he said nonchalantly when he pulled away leaving Harry breathless. Harry grinned again before giving a subtle hand motion to close the balcony door so they could have some semi-privacy when Harry pulled him in for another, longer kiss, warming the fall night.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I'm sorry, just keep pestering me with comments lol...

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so you can see the pairings in the tags so bear with me its gonna be slow burn and not exactly what you might think. Idk you might guess how this is gonna go later on. Basically i have been looking for a fic like this and since i couldnt find one i wrote one.  
> You're welcome if you've been looking too haha.  
> With love, TaurusRidley.
> 
> ps, I have an account on wattpad under the same name but that site kinda sucks if I'm being honest.


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